We spoke with Stephen Uyechi from Sunrise Elementary School who was named 2021-22 LA Unified School District Teacher of the Year. Stephen teaches Special Education, moderate to severe, with a focus on life skills. This award honors teachers with a strong commitment to their students, school, and community. The program spotlights positive aspects of education...
We spoke with Rafael Cruz, a 7th-grade teacher from Hollenbeck Middle School, who was named both 2021-22 LA Unified School District and LA County of Education Teacher of the Year. Rafael teaches a medicine and forensics-based course at Hollenbeck entitled, Medical Detectives. The LA Unified School District award honors teachers with a strong commitment to...
We connected with Heaven Watson, an 11th-grade student at Jordan High School, to learn more about her experience with the Partnership’s Policy Advisory Board, which is designed to elevate the voices of key school and community stakeholders in Partnership decision-making on policy positions and to strengthen our understanding of issues affecting our students. The board...
We recently spoke with Francisco Sanchez, Categorical Program Advisor at Figueroa Street Elementary School, and here’s what he had to share about some newly learned experiences. Francisco’s teachers believed in him and in return he believes in all his students. The last academic year presented challenges and opportunities. What opportunities arose at Figueroa Street Elementary? ...
Meet Jordan High School‘s 2021 inspirational speaker, Pilar Diaz, who will be attending the University of California, Los Angeles in the fall. Read the transcript of her graduation speech below, where she shares how excited she was to receive her U.S. Citizenship the day before her graduation. Pilar Diaz was one of the commencement speakers...
We met virtually with Rekha Prakash, a Biotechnology Instructor at Roosevelt High School who also plays a role in the Medical & Health Sciences Linked Learning pathway and as an advisor to the Health Occupations Students of America to hear about how distance learning has been going for her and her students. Read more below....
We connected over Zoom with Brandy Altamira, an 11th-grade student at Santee Education Complex, whose dream is to become an architect. Learn more about her and her incredible passion for math below. Brandy is grateful for all the support she has received from the school staff at Santee. ¿Cómo te sientes en Santee? / How...
We connected virtually with Celeste Enriquez, 7th-grade student at Stevenson College & Career Preparatory (middle school), to learn about her hopes and dreams for the future. Celeste finds the study of human behavior fascinating and dreams of becoming an FBI criminal profiler. What was your biggest learning this year – about yourself and/or your online...
We met virtually with Sharon Westbrook, 3rd-grade teacher at Florence Griffith Joyner Elementary School, to learn more about her 33 years as an educator and her nuggets of wisdom during this period of distance learning. Sharon hopes we maintain a sense of community and generosity of spirit when we return to campus. Since the beginning...
We met virtually with Maria Mendez, Resource Specialist Teacher, Parent Engagement Lead, and former Restorative & College Culture Lead at Twentieth Street Elementary School to understand the important stage that social-emotional learning is taking during distance learning. Read more below. Maria strongly believes that SEL helps students persevere through difficult times. How vital is social-emotional...
We connected virtually with Adam Barillas, an 8th-grade student at Hollenbeck Middle School to learn about his interest in music and how it helped him during the pandemic, and his year-long participation in the school’s music academy. Hollenbeck’s Music Academy is directed by Mr. Erick Quintanilla alongside Mr. Christian Melgoza, who is the strings director....
We connected virtually with graduates from all Partnership high schools — Santee Education Complex, MSTMA at Roosevelt, Mendez High School, Jordan High School, and Roosevelt High School — to get their perspectives on distance learning. We asked them the same question: What was your biggest success during distance learning and what was your greatest challenge?...
