Students Return as Staff
How Invictus inspired students from our community to return and work with us.
We founded Invictus Academy of Richmond with a purpose to uplift the youth in our community and teach them how to accomplish their dreams. It is with great pride and celebration that we share the stories of three individuals who grew up here and decided to return as adults to work with us.
“Support for everyone comes in abundance at Invictus. It makes all the difference.”
Jeffrey Martinez - Dean of Students
Do you remember a defining moment when you made the choice to work in education?
Growing up, I wanted to study psychology and criminal justice. I saw myself working for a government agency like the FBI or CIA. However, my college experience was so difficult that it made what I wanted to do seem unrealistic.
When I was invited to be part of the founding team at Invictus, it felt like a fresh start. Being presented this opportunity to create something that would be meaningful and impactful defined my interest. I knew I wanted to be a part of something that would leave a good imprint in the community where I grew up.
Who was your most impactful teacher?
Noone really struck me as an impactful teacher until I was in high school. Especially for me, being a low income, minority student from Richmond, growing up here meant I had a lot of negative influences and violence surrounding me every single day. I struggled with misbehaving a lot and getting in trouble and getting kicked out of schools.
The first time I got the extra support and help I needed was from my 9th grade English teacher, Mr. Hester. He offered to stay after school or help me during lunch, and that extra layer of involvement was really meaningful. I don’t know if I would have graduated without a teacher like him. Sometimes he will still reach out to me in an email or a text and just see how things are going. He was the first teacher who I could tell really cared a lot - about everybody.
What was it about Invictus that inspired you to work here?
A lot of Richmond kids come from a background where things are very difficult. I was just like the young people that I serve. Many have experienced inequality in the educational system, and now I get to be part of changing that.
I feel very aligned with the Invictus morals, core values, and school vision. Our mission at Invictus - to get 100% of our students into the college of their choice - is a big task, but it seems attainable. There aren’t many educators in the community of Richmond that are dedicated to meeting a goal like ours.
What do you look forward to most in your day to day job?
What I look forward to the most is getting to work with young people from my community. The fact that I get to be present in student’s lives who might not have had that type of support elsewhere is hugely meaningful to me.
I show up to work every single day, ready for any challenge that might come because I know the students that I serve need more positivity in their lives. Being part of their support system so that they have at least one person who is constantly there, reassuring them, motivating them -- it’s what fuels me.
Yani Bueno - Office Manager
Do you remember a defining moment when you made the choice to work in education?
When I graduated I just wanted to get out of my city, but then I started working at a community after school program (for another school). In that program, I got really close with my students but I didn’t agree with many things at the school. I felt compassion for the students there. That’s when I realized I wanted to stay here and make a positive impact in my community. A little while after that a friend told me about a position open at Invictus and encouraged me to apply.
Who was your most impactful teacher?
Mr. Thapar was my most impactful teacher by far. I started at a public high school that didn’t work for me but then I moved to Leadership (where Thapar was teaching) and it was really different. He specifically went out of his way to make sure I had all the resources and time I needed. I remember him repeating that the time we spent on course work was really important.
He took time out of his weekends to schedule 3 hour sessions with all of his AP students. He got us pizza to encourage us to come and he spent extra time with me to make sure I completed all I needed to do.
What was it about Invictus that inspired you to work here?
Many of my co-workers have been living in the Richmond area for a long time and we can relate to the kids here. In this neighborhood we see a lot of violence and it makes it really hard for our students to get out of that space and think about going to college. At Invictus, we emphasize the importance of going to college so much that it’s our mission to get 100% of our students into the college of their choice.
Sometimes kids just need someone to push and encourage them and show them we believe in them. Being in the type of environment where college is viewed in a positive light is very helpful. It helps our students see a light at the end of the tunnel.
What do you look forward to most in your day to day job?
I really enjoy being able to help out on the back end of things like events and learning how the school processes work. Before this job, I never knew about all the things that a school has to do to operate and it’s a lot! I have a lot of fun here because I love learning new things, helping out with teachers and doing what I can to make the school grow.
Emily Limon - College Prep Teacher
Do you remember a defining moment when you made the choice to work in education?
At the end of my 3rd year of college I thought I wanted to become a lawyer. After taking a law class I realized that was not what I wanted to do. Reflecting on where I was, I felt so lucky to be able to go to college and graduate. All the impactful moments I had in the classroom led me to that point so I decided to teach in order to get other students to college.
Who was your most impactful teacher?
I was very quiet growing up and I never caused any trouble. In school I would just get passed along without anyone paying attention to my needs. My English teacher in 9th grade was the first teacher who really paid attention to who I was and my academics. They praised me for all the work I did while pushing me to do even more because they knew I could. That was the first time that a teacher was in constant communication with my family and it made all the difference.
What was it about Invictus that inspired you to work here?
When I learned about Invictus, I saw how many systems there were in place to not only support teachers but also support students in their learning. Invictus focuses on academics as well as social and emotional learning. That really caught my eye. I had never taught at a school where there were systems for students and seeing that difference really inspired me to join. Support for everyone comes in abundance at Invictus.
What do you look forward to most in your day to day job?
My favorite thing about teaching is the ‘Aha!’ moments - when a student is struggling, and then they finally get it - ‘Aha!’
I love interacting with the students, getting to know them and what they do and don’t like. That moment when they finally break through and get what you need them to get is powerful. It’s what I look forward to the most.
Rooted in Community
At Invictus, we dedicate time to supporting our teachers, students, and staff alike. Together, we rise to meet the challenges of our times and build a better future for our youth. Our halls are filled with excellent teachers and staff who are committed to showing up for each other and being the difference we want to see in this world.
Begin your student’s journey with Invictus today. Enrolling Now for Grades 7-10.
Information available on grades 11 & 12 for interested families.
ABOUT INVICTUS
Invictus Academy of Richmond prepares 100% of students in grades 7-12 to thrive in the colleges of their choice, solve relevant problems, and communicate with confidence. Founded in 2018 with a dedication to uplifting students in the Richmond, CA community, Invictus earned recognition in 2020 for its students making some of the strongest academic growth in the country during the pandemic, as measured by NWEA MAP data in the BES Network. Start your student’s journey with our excellent teachers, systems of emotional and academic learning, peer tutoring, and parent partnership by visiting us at www.invictusofrichmond.org