Alejandro Guzman ‘19 coaching
The road that brought Alejandro Guzman from Immokalee, Florida to Saint John’s University has now taken him to another seemingly unlikely destination and challenging career path.
A nutrition major and exercise science minor? Teaching high school biology and chemistry? In Houston?
Alejandro Guzman '19 likes to make teaching and learning fun
“It’s very rewarding. You can really see the appreciation that a lot of these kids have,” said Guzman, who is finishing his second year of teaching high school freshmen and sophomores at YES Prep East End – part of a group of 21 Houston charter schools with a college preparatory emphasis that serve students who are 97 percent Hispanic or Black, 90 percent first-generation college students, and 85 percent economically disadvantaged.
“A lot of families are just truly trying to push for their kids to have a better education,” added Guzman, who also coaches East End’s varsity boys basketball and volleyball teams. “We want to make sure that from an early age we’re starting to introduce that you can go to college, you are college-ready, things like that,”
Hopefully, their experience can mirror Guzman’s own First Gen experience at Saint John’s.
“My four years at Saint John’s were so amazing. I never thought it was going to be that great,” said Guzman, who was one of the first four success stories of the Immokalee Scholarship Program that provides scholarship support for students from one of America’s poorest communities.
“I was able to be part of the Urban Scholars internship in Minneapolis, so I was feeling after graduation I was going to work with public health or some type of government work with public policy. But teaching just kind of fell into my lap and I ran with it.”
Part of Guzman’s immersion into his students’ lives in Houston has included steering them toward his own footsteps.
“Last year, I was rocking a Saint John’s sweatshirt on a Friday, and a student – she was a senior, great student, president of the senior class – said, ‘Oh my gosh, did you go to Saint John’s? I’m going to Saint Ben’s!’ “ Guzman said.
“I tell all my kids, ‘Senior year I’m making you apply to Saint John’s – every one of you.’ “
Guzman’s long-term vision, however, is focused elsewhere.
“My plans are still to one day go back to Immokalee and take all my knowledge, become the first councilman representing Immokalee or the first mayor,” he said. “That’s still my future goal.
“I’m just trying to do my best. Hopefully with the hard work it leads me to be in a position to do even more great things and inspire others.”
“My four years at Saint John’s were so amazing. I never thought it was going to be that great.”