Scholarship Winner
College: Fresno City College
Career goal: Teacher
About Melanie: Melanie Yanez is very proud to have graduated from Cambridge High School and is excited to start the journey toward her dream of becoming an elementary or high school teacher. She is already getting a preview of the role as an after-school program teacher at Ayer Elementary School. Outside of the classroom, Melanie’s passion is taking care of animals and riding horses.
She says her family has been a huge source of support throughout her educational journey, but she also found mentorship and guidance in Cambridge student resource officer Yvette Rodriguez and janitor Mirna Salazar, who befriended and looked out for her. Melanie said they encouraged her to stay out of trouble and keep on track. “They have impacted me to do better in life and to always attend and have good grades,” Melanie said. Melanie said she’s happy to know that people outside her family care about her, and she feels special to have been part of a school where the staff made her feel welcome every day.
Melanie dreams of being successful, so her parents can retire. As the youngest of four children, she hopes to make them proud.
In Melanie’s words: “My motivation in life is making my dreams come true and making my family proud of their last child in high school.”
“What a wonderful young lady Melanie has become. She is extremely humble and has a great internal light that all staff can see. She always has a smile on her face and always says ‘Good morning.’ You ask her to do something, and she always says ‘Yes.’ She is just a great kid. She is the reason I come to work. She is a superstar.”
– Jose Perez, Cambridge High School counselor
