Saraí Tijerina, a fifth-grade teacher at J. Robert Hendricks Elementary School in Flowing Wells Unified School District, is named on the International Literacy Association’s 2023 30 Under 30 List.
The list honors emerging leaders who are working to create positive change in the global literacy landscape.
Tijerina, 26, is in her fourth year of teaching. She was recognized for creating deep roots with her school community and helping create safe learning environments, especially for students struggling at home. In her free time, she also assists Spanish-speaking families with interpreting.
During the district’s remote learning format during the pandemic, Tijerina often took the time to drop off schoolwork at students’ homes and followed up with the families by phone or email.
And despite the challenges the pandemic caused for schools throughout the state, Tijerina’s fifth-grade students outperformed their school district peers in 2021, scoring 31% higher in English and 53% higher in math.
“I know there are students who need me to be that one teacher for them and that is why I am a teacher,” she said, noting that several of her teachers made all the difference in her life while she was growing up.
Last year, Tijerina was also given the Chicanos por la Causa’s 2022 Esperanza Latino Teacher Award for helping her students achieve high assessment scores and playing a large role in connecting Spanish-speaking families with educational resources.
Sarai Martinez, now Saraí Tijerina, talks about how her experience in school as a child shaped her path as a teacher today.
Science competition
A BASIS Oro Valley student was one of the top 300 scholars in the Society for Science’s 2023 Regeneron Science Talent Search.
The talent search is known as the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors, organizers say.
Matthew Kim, a 17-year-old student at BASIS Oro Valley, was selected as a top scholar for his project titled, “Slowing Down Ice Melting from Thermal Radiation via Sustainable, Eco-Friendly Eggshells.”
The 300 scholars will each receive $2,000 and their schools will be awarded an additional $2,000. The scholars were chosen from a pool of nearly 2,000 applicants, based on their outstanding research, leadership skills, community involvement, commitment to academics, creativity in scientific questions and exceptional promise as STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) leaders.
For more information about the Regeneron Science Talent Search, or to find a list of the 300 scholars, visit www.societyforscience.org.
Scholarship opportunity
The application cycle for the Marge Christensen Gould Memorial Scholarship, which awards $1,500 to one high school senior, is now open.
To be eligible, students must currently attend Catalina, Sunnyside, Desert View, Star Academic, Project More or TAP high schools and graduating with the class of 2023. Applicants must also have a GPA of 2.5 or higher, provide two letters of reference and their unofficial transcripts, and be accepted at a not-for-profit college or university.
Scholarships are renewable for one more year to qualifying students. Students can find more information and application materials by visiting www.margegouldscholarship.org.
The Marge Christensen Gould Memorial Scholarship helps students pursue post-secondary education, in honor of former Catalina High School teacher Marge Gould, who worked with at-risk students and served the school for 28 years.
