Meet Adriana Ruiz (she/her), a Partnership Policy Advisory Board (PAB) representative and parent of a student at 107th Street Elementary School. Adriana answered a few questions about her involvement with PAB and her advocacy for Student Equity Need Index (SENI) funding. As a working parent raising her children, Adriana didn’t always have the time or...
Meet Joaquin Prado (he/him), a Partnership Policy Advisory Board (PAB) representative and 11th-grade student from Santee Education Complex. We connected with Joaquin to learn more about how he puts his advocacy skills to work. For Joaquin, advocacy is no longer something that happens from a distance. It’s something he actively shapes. As a member of...
Meet Stephanie Curry (she/her), kindergarten teacher at Weigand Avenue Elementary. Stephanie recently received her National Board Certification, and below she tells us more about her experience, the importance of reflection, and how to build a learning environment where students feel safe. Stephanie Curry (left), kindergarten teacher and NBCT at Weigand Ave. Elementary with Genevieve Debose...
Meet Lailaa Ortiz (she/her) (right) and Caylee Rincon (she/her) (left), both eighth-graders at Hollenbeck Middle School. Together, they are tackling real-world problems and building innovative solutions through the Girls Engineering Club. Currently in her first year in the club, Lailaa learned about it from her teacher and club facilitator, Ms. Nicole Klanfer. She was interested...
Meet Diana Moncada (she/her), a fourth-grade teacher at Figueroa Street Elementary. Now in her fourth year, she exemplifies teaching backed by the Partnership and how strong instruction promotes educational equity. We connected with her to learn how she supports multilingual learners in accessing grade-level content and confidently sharing their thinking. Early in the school year,...
Meet Karla Lopez, a fourth-grade student at Figueroa Street Elementary who is finding her voice as a learner. This year, she has grown academically and has become more confident in sharing her thinking and participating fully in classroom conversations. When Karla first began sharing her ideas in class, she felt nervous. “But when I saw...
Meet Gabriel Ibarra (he/him), a senior at Jordan High School. We recently connected to learn about his experiences at Jordan, his passion for math, and how supportive teachers have helped him achieve at the highest levels. Since elementary school, Gabriel has stood out for his curiosity in math. That dedication was evident last year when...
Meet Janet Mejia (she/her), 7th- and 8th-grade science and 6th-8th-grade computer science teacher at Markham Middle School. We connected with her to discuss her computer science elective course and her recent Snap Inc. Institute for Technology & Education (SITE) award. When science teacher Janet Mejia realized that no teachers from Watts were represented at a...
Meet Samantha de Santiago (she/her), a 7th-grader at Carver Middle School. We recently connected to learn about her experiences at Carver and how her curiosity, drive, and the support she received helped her achieve outstanding results in English. From the start of middle school, Samantha was excited to continue growing as a learner. Her love...
Meet Bruno Patricio (he/him), a 6th-grader at Sunrise Elementary School. We connected to talk about his experience at Sunrise and how the educators and students around him have helped him feel seen and supported. Read more below. Bruno has attended Sunrise for most of his time in elementary school, starting in TK. In second grade,...
Meet Pilar Diaz Bombino (she/her), who graduated from Jordan High School in 2021 and most recently from the University of California, Los Angeles. We connected with her to learn how the Watkins Fellowship helped her through her college journey, especially during motherhood. When Pilar Diaz Bombino received the call that she had been awarded the...
Meet Danielle Torrez (she/her), History and AP Psychology teacher at Math, Science, and Technology Magnet Academy (MSTMA), co-located at Roosevelt High School. We connected with her about the new school year, what she’s looking forward to, and how she builds belonging in her classroom. From an early age, Ms. Torrez knew she wanted to teach....
