Student Spotlight: Diana

The Juvenile Court and Community Schools student representative on the San Diego County Board of Education for February was Diana, a senior at Lindsay Community School.

The Lindsay School staff selected Diana because she’s an excellent student whose interest in advocacy has driven her involvement in the school community.

“She is a leader and emotionally aware of others,” said Teacher Assistant Melissa Martinez. “I think that is a great combination. She is a great advocate for her community, her school, and her family.”

Her advocacy skills were on display at the Board of Education meeting where Diana shared how proud she is of her culture and of her father’s work ethic, and her displeasure of the racist stereotypes being used to describe Mexicanos.

“The stereotypes being said about Mexicanos are based on harmful myths that ignore the dedication and contributions of all Mexicano workers to our society,” she said. “I encourage the board to do whatever is in their power to protect undocumented community members, especially students and workers from the racist attacks happening while they are on their way to school and work.”

Diana has been at Lindsay Community School for two years and said it has given her a lot of opportunity that she might not have been given at other schools. She felt stigmatized as dumb and a bad student but came to Lindsay and found she enjoyed learning and writing and was good at math.

“I feel ready for college and see myself as a strong, educated Chicana,” she said. 

Diana is grateful to the teachers at Lindsay who have helped her learn about her culture and her history and they have made her feel proud of who she is.

“They saw what I could do even before I thought I could do it,” she said. “They pushed me to accomplish things and always gave me their time.”

After graduation, Diana plans to attend community college or the Bellis Academy to study nails or pursue cosmetology.

Each month, the San Diego County Board of Education recognizes a student from Juvenile Court and Community Schools at its regular meeting.