There is a resource here at Arlington Tech that is nowhere else and can never be replaced. Of course, this resource is Ms. Monica, who is the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) team leader/advocate. She is an excellent resource for people who are part of the LGBTQ+ community, African American community, Latinx community, Muslim community, and many others. She tries to have student involvement in every single level of school activities, from planning to implementing to cleaning up. Students are there and actively involved. Ms. Monica has helped many students find their footing here at Arlington Tech.
One of the ways she helps students gain their footing is by engaging them in capacity-building situations. She has helped many students gain opportunities and volunteer hours for the National Honor Society (NHS) or Capstone programs. People who have helped her have opened many opportunities, like running the Career and Technical Education (CTE) fair, speaking at conferences for teachers, or joining clubs.
There are many opportunities for people to get involved, such as the American Sign Language (ASL) Club, Muslim Student Association (MSA), Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) club, Girls in Stem, Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA), Black Student Union (BSU), Latinas Leading Tomorrow (LLT), Sister Circle, and many more. Ms. Monica always encourages students to attend and take on leadership positions.
Ms. Monica helps you realize you’re not alone and that you have a community here at Arlington Tech. The sense of community you get with Ms. Monica is like no other. You get to know people who are similar to you but also very different. Being part of a community is the main thing that keeps most students sane in high school.
For some people, Ms. Monica is a role model. For others, she is like a parental figure. She’s a role model for mostly the Latinx and Spanish-speaking community because she is a Latina. On the other hand, she’s here for almost everyone else since she’s there for us at our highs and lows. Ms. Monica is like a diamond in a pile of coal, and it would be worth your time to introduce yourself to her.
If you need help with college or anything to do with applications, or paying for education, or jobs, Ms. Monica is your guide! She has helped many people get full-ride scholarships for prestigious universities or colleges, and get many jobs, from after-school programs to restaurant jobs.
Ms. Monica and her cadre of student leaders present many events during the school year that demonstrate and celebrate the diversity of our community. Please come and celebrate with us. Some examples are culture night, career and technical education night, and diversity panels/assemblies. All you need to take away from this is that Ms. Moncia is a valuable resource for people of all abilities and grades, and you shouldn’t hesitate to talk to her if you need any support.
