Joey Mascio taught 7th grade English and Theater for six years in Southern California before becoming a full-time entrepreneur and curriculum creator. He holds a Master’s in Education and a Bachelor’s in Creative Writing, both from UC Riverside. Joey is a former Disneyland character performer and a current professional improv comedian. He now runs two businesses in Utah County: Escapes in Time, an escape room in Orem, and Sidekick to Hero, an online confidence and resilience training platform for teens.
He and his wife have four children, two of whom attend American Heritage. Joey enjoys BBQing, movies, and all things storytelling.
What brought you to AHS? When I first heard that there was such a thing as American Heritage, something in the back of my mind told me that I would teach here one day. In September 2024, something in the back of my wife’s mind told her to start the AHS application process for our son early, which led to him getting enrolled a year earlier than we had planned. Then, in spring 2025, I stumbled across the job opening for the 7th grade homeroom position, and something in the back of my mind told me that I was going to apply and get the job.
So, I guess the thing that brought me to AHS was whatever that something is that’s in the back of our minds. I wonder what that could be… 🤔
Curriculum Highlight Since this is my first year, I can only anticipate what the highlight will be. My guess? It’ll be the constant and repeated drilling of basic sentence structure, grammar, and punctuation until my students can write like they’re not Amazon instruction manual authors and their sentences don’t look like they’ve been put through a blender. Either that, or it’ll be the fun creative writing projects we’ll be doing on the Restoration.
Favorite Student Interaction In my third year teaching at a school in Southern California, I found out halfway through the school year that three of the five students on the verge of being expelled for behavior issues were in my class and I had no idea, because they never acted up for me.
When I asked one of them why he misbehaved for his other teachers but not for me, he said, “Because they don’t like me.”
Least Favorite Student Interaction In my first year teaching at that same school in Southern California, my students were so out of control they were doing pull-ups on the door frame and I couldn’t get them to stop. I almost quit. Instead, I got better.
Why Teaching? I figured if it was good enough for Jesus, it was good enough for me.
Education Bachelor’s in Creative Writing, summa cum laude.
Master’s in Education, summa cum laude. Certified Cognitive Behavioral Coach. Also, I’ve watched a few YouTube videos on how to barbecue, so I’m pretty good at that, too.
Why will you love working at AHS? I always wanted to be an Institute or full-time Seminary teacher, but life took me down a different path as a middle school English teacher. Now, I see this as a chance to do both!
Hobbies Writing, improv comedy, BBQing, being a dad, blanket fort building, watching epic stories, and being the best husband in the world.
Favorite Quote “Those without a sense of humor are at the mercy of the rest of us.” – Anonymous
