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LOCAL IMPACT

California teacher discovers WE and helps students find purpose.

Irma Magana shares a global perspective with her classroom through the lens of service learning.

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LOCAL IMPACT

California teacher discovers WE and helps students find purpose.

Irma Magana shares a global perspective with her classroom through the lens of service learning.

BY JESSE MINTZ | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JENNIFER ROCHOLL

Ask a teacher why they chose their profession and most will tell you a story about a teacher in their own life who left an impression. Great teachers inspire great teachers.

But not Irma Magana. She’s one of a kind, self-made.

The Long Beach, California native with 14 years’ experience at the front of a classroom at Lakewood High School had plenty of teachers who were nice and dedicated—but none she connected with.

“When I became a teacher, I wanted to be that person I wish I had in high school,” she says with a chuckle. “And apparently, it worked because I have some really great connections with my students.”

As for family role models, she comments matter-of-factly, “my mom was a single mom, working hard and she just made sure I had a roof and food in the fridge. The rest, I took care of myself.”

Left:  Irma Magana. Right: Lakewood High School sign.
Left:  Irma Magana. Right: Lakewood High School sign.

With her mom working and no teachers to turn to, Irma didn’t have anyone to motivate her. She sees that same experience in her students every day.

Hundreds of students have passed through her class over the years, many of whom struggle with issues beyond the classroom like broken homes, poverty and gang violence.

In light of this, for every college graduation she attends to support a former student, there’s a question mark in her mind about what happened to another promising young person. The compassion that comes with this mindset is what has enabled her to connect with students.

Not normally one to brag, Irma is in an especially good mood during our interview for this very reason: student connection. As she shares, a student from more than decade ago just called out of the blue to thank her. “He’s 26 now, which is a little scary, and interning with Atlantic Records” she says. “He was one of my students who struggled. He said I was always in the back of his mind and he wanted to say hello.”

That interaction will keep this California educator buzzing for months.

Irma relishes the role of teacher, confidant, friend and motivator. While this dedication started long before she got involved with WE, 11 years ago, the WE Movement did something to help invigorate her passion.

There she was, home sick from school watching the Oprah Winfrey Show when a young Craig Kielburger walked onto the screen, sat down with the program’s iconic host and began talking about students across the country coming together to change their communities.

Students taking part in the car wash.
Students taking part in the car wash.

“I thought, ‘I have struggling students; this is the thing, something for them to get involved in,’” recalls Irma. She brought the idea to class and her students were all in. “They wanted to do it, to take ownership, and years later, new students every year are still doing it.”

Their first year involved with WE Schools, the students held a bake sale at the homecoming fair that raised $800 to help build the Baraka Hospital in Kenya. In the years since, they’ve fundraised thousands of dollars for charity, in addition to supporting local homeless shelters by collecting food, toiletries, blankets and socks. Irma is especially proud of how they’ve given back, considering most of her students qualify for Title 1 services to assist with the cost of meals at school.

And then there was last year, a special year even by Irma’s high standards.

“Lakewood is kind of sleepy and hardly anything happens here,” Irma admits. That is, until WE dropped in to film a car wash fundraiser organized by the students for the WE Day broadcast.

“The students were surprised and honoured. They felt like they’ve done something, that all of their work does matter.”

Not surprisingly, the club has grown even larger since the event. With new officers and new energy, Irma has taken a backseat as veteran students take the helm, inspiring others to get involved, while organizing a school-wide coin drive for hurricane and earthquake victims.

“Everything we’ve done has been to show my students they can move mountains if they try,” Irma says with pride. “I’ve turned my past experiences and struggles into positive energy in the classroom. I want to make every student feel like they matter.”

Jesse Mintz
Jesse Mintz
Jesse Mintz

Jesse Mintz is a lifelong learner and believer in the power of stories to educate and inspire. He knows everyone has an interesting story—it’s just a matter of asking the right questions.