Teachers have the power to instill students with a sense of equity, justice, and confidence in themselves. Every day I remind myself that my work is powerful, impactful, and important to making the world a better place through the legacy of my students.”
Jovel’s Story
Teaching Disciplines
Biology and Chemistry
Why Biology and Chemistry
“I love biology and chemistry because they provide freedom and space to wonder about what it means to be a living thing. These subjects give us the opportunity to observe and reflect on natural phenomena.”
Professional Experience
Jovel is a biology and chemistry teacher at LPS Oakland R&D. They previously taught biology and journalism at Madison Park Business and Art Academy (MPA) during the 2015–2016 school year. While at MPA, Jovel served as the School Site Health Education Leader and implemented the school’s first Health Careers Academy in conjunction with Samuel Merritt University and the University of California, Berkeley–University of California, San Francisco Joint Medical Program. Prior to beginning their career as a teacher in Oakland, Jovel taught biology and human biology at Woodside High School (Woodside, California), where they also supported the school’s Gay–Straight Alliance.
Outside of the classroom, Jovel has written formative assessments for Newsela, an online reading comprehension tool. They have also served as the Head Science Counselor for the Salesian Summer Day Camp. Jovel spent three years working as a Research Assistant for the Gordon Lab at Stanford University. While in this position, Jovel published two academic research papers on ant foraging behavior.
Volunteer Experience
Jovel conducted research with the Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education (SCOPE) to better understand science and engineering practices in the Next Generation Science Standards. While attending Stanford University, they volunteered at Raza Day, an event to support Latino youth and their higher education pursuits. Additionally, they served as a docent at the Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve for two years. Jovel participated in a number of student mentoring opportunities, including Stanford Students for Educational Equity, Spark, and Science and Service.
Hobbies
Jovel enjoys spending time with their family and partner, being outdoors, swimming, scuba diving, watching Sharks games, drinking coffee, and eating ice cream.
Academic Background
- Stanford University (Master of Arts in Education)
- Stanford University (Bachelor of Science in Biology)