My parents never had the chance to finish high school—they left their education behind to work and build a future in the U.S.—not for themselves, but for me. Their sacrifices inspire me to become the teacher they never had, someone who creates a classroom where every student feels valued, supported, and capable of achieving their dreams.

This fall, I’ll be the first in my family to go to college. I plan to earn both my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, along with my teaching credential, at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Over the past year and a half, I’ve worked with students from preschool through sixth grade, gaining hands-on experience and learning how to support young learners. 

One of my proudest moments was leading lessons in Social Science, Science, and English for a 4th/5th grade combo class. I prepared three days in advance to master each subject, overcoming my social anxiety in the process. Through thoughtful planning, group discussions, and engaging activities, I found joy in helping students grow while building my confidence.

For the past four years, I’ve given back through ASTRA, a community service club dedicated to literacy, environmental efforts, and connecting with seniors. Through our work, we’ve distributed over 1,400 books and organized events for more than 300 local children.  As part of the book drive committee, I helped collect more than 2,400 books—many donated by friends and family—to help local families build their own home libraries and foster a love of reading.

These experiences fuel my passion for teaching and remind me that with preparation, compassion, and service, I can help others succeed where my parents never had the chance.

Evelyn's Updates

Spring 2026

I wanted to share some stats of The Loop Cal Poly Thrift store, which is now open! Free for all Cal Poly students, staff, and faculty. 

First of all, I would like to thank the Vineyard Team for supporting this initiative.I know Beth came by to donate in the beginning stages.

We gathered over 850 pounds of clothing, kitchen essentials, decor, and small appliances to stock the thrift store, and held our grand opening on April 24th, with 95 visitors taking items.

On our second pop-up date in May, over 150 visitors took items.

617 items were taken from both pop-up dates, for a total of 396.741lbs taken from the thrift!

I was in charge of data collection and marketing. One of our posts had over 28,000 views on Instagram (@calpolygreencampus).

Coming to my full circle moment, I genuinely could not have made this possible if it weren't for the financial assistance the Vineyard Team's scholarship provided me. I am eternally grateful not to be a financial burden on my parents and to be able to do this volunteer work to help other students in need.