Former Student, Current Teacher: Ms. Esquivez

Gabriela Esquivez, an alumnus of James Logan High School, is now a shining light for her students and a Colt teacher for the last 13 years.

“Logan is home to me. I loved it so much I returned to teach,” Esquivez said.

Not only is she a teacher, but also runs the M.E.Ch.A club here at school, where she uses skills she’s gained throughout the years and her genuine wish to see a better world while teaching her students.

“M.E.Ch.A offers students many community service opportunities and teaches them to give back to those around us and in our community,” Esquivez said.

From teaching various subjects such as history and now currently part of the ethnic studies department, she has impacted many students with her great advice and cheerful ways. Teaching at Logan is not only her job but also a place that created a number of interesting connections! Many of her students are relatives – nephews and family friends. Teaching at Logan gives Esquivez the opportunity to look out for them and check up on them from time to time. As a former Logan student, she now teaches some of her classmate’s children as well.

“Not a day goes by that I don’t see someone I know,” Esquivez said. “My friends and I always joke around about how many people I run into.”

Throughout her years here she has seen many changes, including the making of new murals and many new buildings.

“There are many more murals now then when I was a student. The buildings also look different, we didn’t have the 400’s & 200’s,” Esquivez said.

Each year of teaching brings excitement for Esquivez. Meeting new students is something she always looks forward to, but there are other things that Esquivez sees as vital elements of the Logan community experience, including car shows and of course the greatly anticipated graduation ceremony.

Ms. Esquivez began her teaching journey as a substitute teacher. Throughout her experiences, she was able to establish that high school students were the perfect fit for her.

“High School students are just fun! Middle Schoolers are too hormonal,” Esquivez said with a smile.

Although she is a teacher, it’s not all about the school work and grades. Esquivez may be an open book with many of her students, but you may not know that she has a great interest and fascination in the earth and learning about ancient cultures. If she wasn’t working as an educator, she would love to be working as a geologist or archeologist.

“I just love learning about earthquakes and doing research on them; I love rocks too,” Esquivez said.

Just as she once walked the stage, Esquivez eagerly anticipates Raza Graduation. It becomes an emotional time to see many of her students take the final step to begin the journey that awaits them. Many of the students at the graduation were students she had as freshmen. Esquivez said that it’s a great experience for her to watch them grow up and to see each and every one of them achieve their goals as each student faces their own struggles throughout high school. This is an experience that, to her, is very rewarding.

As one of her students myself, it was amazing to know there’s a teacher just like me. Speaking the same language and profoundly learning about my own culture was honestly incredible.

The philosophy she chooses to live by is a quote from Maya Angelou. 

“Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.”

Angelou’s quote is one that, to me, truly defines her as a person-a woman who is very kind and sympathetic to all.

As a student at Logan, the memories created then continue to flourish as she continues a journey herself as an educator here.