June 1 , 2023 / Saroyan Theater
Spotlight
College : Fresno City College Career Goal : Computer Engineer proficient in both JavaScript and c ++
About Martha : Martha Her is the daughter of Hmong immigrants from Thailand . As a first-generation college student , it was a struggle to navigate the college-going process at times but Martha is grateful to the teachers and staff at eLearn Academy for helping her . She is also motivated by her three sisters who , “ always encouraged me to seek success and not run away from my failures but rather learn from them .”
After Fresno City College Martha will transfer to a UC campus to study computer engineering . She is also interested in starting or joining a company focused on improving online education and making online education more accessible . Having spent the past two years of high school attending eLearn Academy , an online school , she has lots of ideas . In the online environment , it can be difficult to establish bonds among students and between students and their teachers , but eLearn staff ’ s genuine concern for students helped “ bridge the gap ,” she said . Martha was instrumental this past school year in establishing the school ’ s leadership club and making sure it has the foundation to flourish in eLearn ’ s online environment . The club will become a class in the coming school year . Teacher Cyndi Mello said Martha was a mentor to her peers by posting assignment reminders and explaining points of confusion on assignments .
In her words : “ My No . 1 goal is to be financially stable and be able to give back to my family for all of the support they have given me .”
From eLearn Academy teacher Cyndi Mello : “ Martha Her is focused , personable , independent , humble , exudes positivity and leads by example . Her confident demeanor is a testament to her strength . Martha is one of those students that 10 , 15 , even 20 years from now , teachers and staff will say her name and reminisce about the mark she ’ s left as one of the valedictorians of the first graduating class of the eLearn Academy .”
College : Fresno State Career Goal : Coffee Shop Owner
44 eLEARN ACADEMY
Recipient
About Emma : Some of Emma Llanez ’ s best memories are weekend coffee runs with her family , especially her father . As Emma grew older , her father began struggling with depression and was sometimes distant , making the coffee chats and time with family even more precious . She found peace and comfort enjoying a cozy atmosphere , laughing and talking with her family . She wants to provide that experience to others and has set a goal – one she has had since middle school – to open her own coffee shop with her sister . Emma said her mom always told her , “ Pick a career that you ’ re passionate about .”
She will study entrepreneurship and business at Fresno State as she knows owning a small business is risky . Emma graduated from Fresno Unified ’ s online school , eLearn Academy . She found that the online structure worked better for her and even after COVID restrictions were lifted and in-person classes resumed , she chose to continue with online learning . High school was spent preparing for college , including taking three dual enrollment courses for college credit . One of her teachers , Cyndi Mello , called her work ethic “ extraordinary ” and praised her willingness to help her classmates understand assignments . Emma was highly successful at eLearn because of her determination , discipline and high level of maturity , noted another one of her teachers , Jeannine Der Manouel , in Emma ’ s scholarship application .
The family has just one car right now , so she will use her scholarship money toward buying a second car .
In her words : “ I have always loved the saying ‘ You create your own destiny ,’ and it continues to inspire me to pursue my goals . The list goes on and on of the ideas and plans that I have for my future that I want to create .”
From teacher Cyndi Mello : “ Emma is mature for her age , grounded and knows what she wants to do in the future .”