Ms. Sheena Somoza

I was born and raised in Inglewood, California. I received my Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a minor in Music from UC Santa Barbara in 2013. After completing my undergraduate degree, I served as a tutor and mentor in South LA through a nonprofit organization called City Year, which then led me to my credential program the following year.

I attended a high school that graduated less than 50% of its students, which was one of my biggest motivators to become a teacher. I did not want to see any more students fall through the cracks. When serving the students of LA, I began to realize how much one adult could impact a student’s life. When a student has a trusted adult in their corner, they begin to try harder, gain confidence, and believe in themselves. This made me want to support every student and help them reach their full potential.

After serving a year, I got my Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction and my Single-Subject Math Credential from the University of the Pacific, through Aspire Teacher Residency. I taught 7th grade math for 2 years, 8th grade math and Algebra 1 for a year, and then I began working at Samueli Academy. 

I have been teaching Integrated Math I and II here since 2017, and I love it! I coached Softball here for 6 years, and I have been the ASB Advisor and Student Activities Coordinator since 2023. Samueli has been amazing since the day I interviewed here. I can’t believe I am going into my 10th year now! This school truly is a family, and I am so grateful to be a part of it. I can’t wait for what’s in store in the future.

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