More than 15 years ago, Henry Perez along with students and parents from InnerCity Struggle walked around Boyle Heights, knocking on doors to ask residents to sign a petition. The petition would be used to allow the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools to become external managers of some of the highest-need schools east of downtown...
Meet Maria Ortiz (she/her), an 8th-grade math teacher at Hollenbeck Middle School for 15 years. We spoke recently about her passion for empowering students through math and why she remains committed to her school community after many years. Maria’s journey into teaching was sparked by her childhood love for math and fueled by a determination...
Meet Emanuel Avila (he/him), an 8th-grade student at Hollenbeck Middle School. We connected to discuss how his math teacher’s instructional approach influenced his newfound appreciation for the subject. Read more below. Initially, math did not captivate Emanuel’s interest. He preferred his English classes and was interested in refining his writing skills. That began to change...
Randy Romero is one of few individuals who has experienced both facets of the Partnership’s work to transform and strengthen school systems. He was formerly a teacher and principal at two network schools, Math, Science, and Technology Magnet Academy at Roosevelt High School and Hollenbeck Middle School, and currently serves as the chief schools officer...
Meet the dynamic duo, Victoria Vargas (she/her) (bottom, left) and Kimberly Marin-Rodriguez (she/her) (top, left), both eighth-graders at Hollenbeck Middle School. Together, with their guitars, they are weaving melodies and building lasting memories. Their shared love for mariachi music has not only created a harmonious friendship but has also shaped their middle school experience. Kimberly’s...
Meet Arias Williams (he/him), a biology teacher at Santee Education Complex, who also serves as a mentor in the Partnership’s teacher residency program with the Alder Graduate School of Education. We spoke recently about his experience as a teacher mentor and his commitment to assisting new educators in honing their skills. Read more below. Arias...
With 25 years of experience in education, Yumi Kawasaki is the proud principal at Edwin Markham Middle School in Watts. Hailing from a family of educators in Mexico, Yumi’s path to becoming a principal was not linear. “I like to say it chose me,” she explains. Initially, she ventured into the field of psychology, thinking...
Educators play a crucial role in shaping the future of our society, and one such dedicated and influential educator is Principal Mauro Bautista of Mendez High School in Boyle Heights. He has been principal of the school for over a decade and has been with the school in different capacities since its opening in 2009....
Estela Lopez, an educator with 28 years of experience, currently serves as the principal of Dolores Huerta Elementary School. Estela’s commitment to education and her community is deeply rooted in her own experiences. She believes in the power of education to change lives and strives to provide her students with the same opportunities she had....
We recently reconnected with Heaven Watson, a Jordan High graduate and current student at San Jose State University. She shared how being part of the Partnership’s Policy Advisory Board and Watkins Fellow had an impact on her life. Read more below. In October 2021, we spoke with Heaven Watson about her experience with the Partnership’s...
Meet Kennedy Gardner (she/her), an English teacher resident at Roosevelt High School. We spoke recently to chat about her start in teaching. Read more below. Last summer, after graduating from the University of Washington, Kennedy participated in a program through the Breakthrough Collaborative in San Francisco, an umbrella organization of 24 affiliates that offers customized...
Meet Amber Miles (she/her), a kindergarten teacher at Ritter Elementary School and a proud South LA native. We spoke recently about how she fosters college awareness and readiness in her young students while drawing inspiration from her own family’s educational values and experiences. Read more below. Education runs deep in Amber’s roots. Growing up, attending...
