Yessnari Roque
Downey Adult School
Nominated in 2020
Ms. Yessnari Roque embodies the industrious spirit that typifies the American Dream. Yessnari, affectionately dubbed Yessi by her peers, is a recent transplant to the United States from her native Honduras. Like countless others before her, Yessi immigrated to this country with high hopes of establishing a family and career on the horizon. However, what makes Yessi stand out, as a student and person, is the tenacity, grace, and exuberance with which she carries herself while striving to make her dreams a reality.
Yessi moved to the United States with limited English-speaking ability and even more limited support structures. The entirety of the Roque family was left behind in Honduras, contrary to Yessi’s hopes otherwise. Despite these hardships, Yessi has refused to let obstacles become excuses that weigh her down. Yessi has taken proactive steps towards bettering her future — first enrolling in ESL courses at Downey Adult School, followed by dental assisting classes at the same institution. As her current instructor in the dental assisting program, I can personally attest to the promise that Yessi wields at her disposal.
Within the school confines, Yessi is a model student. She is congenial to her peers and instructors alike, turns assignments in on time, and functions as a de-facto peer tutor come exam season. Outside of the classroom, Yessi is equally as impressive; she works night shifts to financially support her schooling, and aims to use Downey Adult School as a stepping stone towards proper dentistry school at a four-year university. She is also an avid volunteer in the community through her time spent with Downey First Christian Church.
There are several deserving candidates for this award, but I can emphatically state that Yessi is the most deserving. Yessi is an intrinsically motivated individual with a student mindset that is continually seeking opportunities to learn and improve. She is highly organized, possesses strong interpersonal skills, and works well both collaboratively and autonomously. For these reasons, and many more, I tender this supplication on behalf of Yessnari Roque.
