Meet Gabriela Bizarro (she/her), a 9th-grade student at MSTMA at Roosevelt and Hollenbeck Middle School alum. We connected to discuss her love of math and her interest in STEM careers. Read more below. Gabriela is excited about attending MSTMA at Roosevelt because she has heard great things about the school and her middle school friends...
Meet Janeth Morales, a fourth-year student at Roosevelt High School. We talked with her about how the Medical and Health Science pathway created a life-changing interest in the field, her recent honor as a 2023 Linked Learning Student of the Year, and the plans she has for the future. Janeth Morales was a first-year student...
Meet Reinaldo De Jesus, Jordan High School college & career counselor and SAT/PSAT/AP/SST coordinator. Recently, we talked with him about everything he does to help students make the most educated decisions about college and their futures. Read below. In October, we kick off college season. It’s a time when students start researching schools, dig into...
Meet Jordan High School senior Tony Jackson. We talked with him about his musical inspiration, how his passion for music has led to plenty of opportunities at Jordan, and how it’s shaping his thinking around college. “Music is my life for some reason. It’s all I can talk about,” says Tony Jackson, a senior at...
We connected virtually with seniors from all Partnership high schools — Santee Education Complex, Jordan High School, Mendez High School, Roosevelt High School, and MSTMA at Roosevelt — to learn more about their experiences and perspectives after returning to campus. Kailee Johnson, senior and cheer captain at Santee Education Complex, will attend the University of California,...
We recently spoke with Maria Guerra, kindergarten teacher at Grape Street Elementary School. She talked about her journey to becoming an educator, how the pandemic impacted her teaching style, and how seeing students grow is the most rewarding part of her job. Even though Maria Guerra’s first job out of high school was as a...
We connected with Alyssa Carmona, a 12th-grade student at Mendez High School. Below, Alyssa shares more about her role as President of the Associated Student Body, Mendez’s governing student body, and how she’s learned to navigate the job’s responsibilities. “My role as Associated Student Body (ASB) President is to make sure that student voices are...
We recently spoke with Sanquanita Nellum, 7th and 8th grade Math and Special Education Teacher at George Washington Carver Middle School. She shared the challenges and joys of teaching students with dual barriers to education and how having a strong math curriculum supports their learning. Sanquanita began her journey as an educator when she became...
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? ...
