Marcela Rojas is a new Spanish teacher and faculty facilitator of the higher education SIP group at Sequoyah’s high school. She teaches a Spanish I class and a Spanish III class, and serves as a ninth-grade advisor. She taught for a long time at Azusa Pacific College and has found a new teaching home at Sequoyah and, while very different from her prior teaching experience, is excited to be working with high school students!
Her transition from college to high school has gone well for her. “I like the campus,” she said, noting that she appreciates the natural surroundings. It is not only the environment, but also the people that have helped Rojas have a smooth transition to Sequoyah. She observed, “I like the faculty. Even just saying ‘how are you’ is nice, coming from college where it’s more impersonal.”
In her current Spanish I and III classes, SIP, and advisory, she’s gotten to know Sequoyah students of all grades. Every Friday and during SIP week she’s with her group of sophomores. Rojas said, “I like to talk about education, so I’m happy to be the head of the access to higher education SIP.” She’s been enjoying the experience with the trips, interviews, and discussions.
Rojas enjoys teaching the Spanish language, as well as the background and culture surrounding it. She often shows her classes news and documentaries about the Chicanx experience in America, specifically as it pertains to education. “Education is really special to me. As my classes know, I like to talk about education,” she says. She finds ways to include that passion in her work at Sequoyah.
Rojas is a great person to go to if you’re looking for someone to talk to about higher education, past and present Latinx history, college-level Spanish, or just want to say hello. She is a vibrant new member of the Sequoyah teacher community!
