FACES June 2024 Scholarship Winner
College: Fresno State
Career goal: History teacher
About Estefany: Finances have always been a struggle for Estefany Martinez’s family, getting so bad at one point that, for a while, they lived in a shelter and with friends. Challenges did not take away her love for school, learning, and her goal to graduate from college. She also enjoyed playing the trumpet in the marching and concert bands at Bullard High School, and earned the Seal of Biliteracy for fluency in Spanish and English.
Her favorite subject at Bullard was history, as she believes that knowledge about the past is necessary for better decisions in the future. Looking back on her experiences in high school, having teacher Jeff Allen in her junior year for AP U.S. History was pivotal. He increased Estefany’s love of the subject even more and inspired her to be a history teacher. She hopes to emulate not only Allen’s engaging style of teaching, but also his genuine concern for his students. “Being in his class was a guarantee that you’d learn and feel safe, like someone was actually looking out for you in that big school. He was a great help to me, and I wholeheartedly wish to do the same for future generations. I would like them to love history as much as I do and find a safe space with me.”
In Estefany’s words: “I believe myself to be very hardworking and if I am given an opportunity and the resources to succeed, I will take advantage of them and not let them go to waste.”
“Estefany was a leader that I could count on to facilitate her collaborative group. She is fun-loving, kind, and intelligent. She came to class daily prepared and ready to learn.”
– Kristi Robison, a teacher at Bullard High School
