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Meet Our 2024-2025 LIFT Scholars!

Enrique Ojeda, Multiple Subjects	Growing up, Enrique never had teachers who looked like themselves or had a similar background as them. Due to this, Enrique never felt a connection to any teacher or their school until they met their wrestling coach, who made them realize the importance a teacher can have. The lack of male Hispanic teachers ultimately led Enrique to want to become a teacher. In their classroom, Enrique hopes to push for family involvement and more comfort in students' non-native languages. Enrique hopes to create a classroom, "that feels like a community and encourages growth".
Elizabeth Granados Johnson, Multiple Subjects	Elizabeth's initial draw to the teaching profession stemmed from a desire to help communities and make lasting changes in the world. In particular, they want to work with youth, and this felt like the best way to accomplish their goals and dreams at once. Elizabeth hopes to create an equitable and safe environment for all students to access learning. With an overarching goal of "making my classroom and community a safe space for students with diverse experiences and identities".
Xiomara Aguilera-Rico, English	Xiomara owes their inspiration to get into teaching to educators, who taught them that their voice was worth sharing, and hopes to pay that forward to the next generation of students of color to do great things in the world. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, Xiomara hopes to establish a classroom culture that can provide safety and inclusion for all of their students. Through this, Xiomara hopes to unlock the potential of every student and "promote curiosity and challenge students to inquire about the world around them".
Jennifer Solano, English	Jennifer's teaching journey began when they first volunteered for Dance Around the World at Pacific Elementary School. Their drive to teach was further bolstered at Branciforte Small Schools Campus, where they helped make skateboards with the high school continuation students, which allowed Jennifer to merge their love for art and education. In their classroom, Jennifer aims to blend their love for reading and writing with teaching students how to develop their critical lens to address key issues around them. Furthermore, "Jennifer is passionate about social justice and hopes to create opportunities that build empathy for LGBTQ+ students, disabled students, and students of color".
Daniela Elias-Mendez, Social Science	Daniela knew they wanted to be a teacher because of the enjoyment they've always gotten from working with kids, through afterschool programs, or helping their siblings with homework. They felt most inspired to learn and teach history with an emphasis on Latinx, Chicano, and Mexican-American history that they hope to blend with their passion for social justice and education. As a social sciences teacher, Daniela wants their students to see themselves and their histories in their learning. Daniela hopes to "create a positive environment in my class where students can learn to think critically and question the world around them to become active members of our community. Their voice matters!"
Carmen Garcia-Ramirez, Science	Carmen sees teaching as more than just a career and feels it is their calling and purpose. They hope to guide students toward discovering their purpose and building the foundation they need to pursue it fearlessly. As a first-generation student, Carmen hopes to be a mentor and resource and "be a source of inspiration that shows anything is possible!"
Samantha Romero, Social Science	Samantha grew up in South Central Los Angeles and was always searching for a role model, and hopes to be that role model for their community and students of color. Samantha hopes to "build a community of love and safety, as well as bring representation to communities that have faced marginalization, by elevating their voices through the curriculum". Through this, Samantha hopes to foster an environment that allows students to develop a better relationship with education and learning history.