Family and community engagement is essential for building trust, empowering decision-making, and addressing educational inequities. Community schools create systems for ongoing collaboration with families, offering opportunities for shared leadership and ensuring families feel supported and valued.

Collaborative leadership connects and strengthens the other pillars of community schools, making it essential for success. By developing a shared vision and distributing responsibilities, schools leverage the collective expertise of teachers, administrators and staff to improve policies, teaching, and learning.

In high-quality community schools, educators and community partners collaborate to provide enriching learning activities during out-of-school time and summer. These programs, tailored to community priorities, emphasize shared responsibility between schools and communities.

Community schools support students’ academic and social-emotional development by providing coordinated services that address both academic and nonacademic barriers. This includes restorative practices, mental health support, tutoring, and resources for families to ensure students’ success and well-being.

Emily Lareau

Career Counselor

Hello! My name is Emily Lareau. I am a San Diego local and have been working in education for 5 years now and am passionate about expanding college access and helping students navigate their post secondary plans. In addition to working as one of the counselors on campus I am also the tennis coach (Go Serpents!). I am looking forward to collaborating to expand community involvement and create resources to support our community, students, and staff!

Yves Ruelas

Social Studies Teacher

My name is Yves Ruelas and I have been teaching Ethnic Studies at HSHMC for three years. The subject I teach serves as a way to tell stories of minority groups that have often been overlooked. It offers a personal lens that our students can relate with as they learn about the history and current issues faced by people that look and act like them. I believe Ethnic Studies plays a direct role in how a community functions and what are the historical obstacles that community faced.

My philosophy is simple. Respect, humility, and finding common ground in differences. It is my hope that with this philosophy we can nurture a future generation that cares about their role in a community and how to better the lives of others. Much of the groundwork starts in small sections and within the space of the people in our community that eventually build it up to something bigger. I look forward to being a part of this committee.

Demetrius Davenport

Dean of Students

Hi! My name is Demetrius Davenport and I have been an educator for the past 16 years. I am currently serving as the Dean of Students at HSHMC and oversee our attendance efforts. I am committed to student success and holistic development. My expertise lies in fostering a positive and inclusive learning environment, ensuring students thrive academically and personally under any guidance I can give them. I always strive to build and maintain strong relationships with students and families throughout my career and pride myself on being the staff member I needed when I was in school.

Ramla Ahmed

Student Support

My name is Ramla Ahmed, and I am a dedicated staff member of the HSHMC community, where I serve as a Student Support. A proud alumna of HSHMC, Class of 2017, I am deeply committed to giving back to the school that helped shape who I am today. Since starting my career in education in 2020, I have worked to support students both academically and personally, ensuring they have the resources and guidance they need to succeed. My passion for education is fueled by my strong ties to the City Heights community, where I’ve grown up and continue to live. I believe education has the power to change lives, and I am committed to offering strong support to students, families, and the wider community. My goal is to create an inclusive, culturally aware environment where every student feels recognized, respected, and empowered to achieve their best. By working closely with families and community partners, I strive to strengthen our school community and build a network of support that benefits everyone involved.

Cory Lauritzen

Internship Coordinator

My name is Cory Lauritzen, and I am the Internship Coordinator at HSHMC, where I help oversee our hospital pathway program. I have been working in education for five years, guided by a philosophy that emphasizes collaboration among students, families, and the community to foster holistic education. I believe students thrive in inclusive environments that celebrate their individuality, while families serve as vital partners in supporting learning through open communication and mutual respect. Community involvement enhances education by offering valuable resources and real-world opportunities. Together, these partnerships build a foundation of trust and shared purpose, ensuring every student’s success.

Nica Hermosillo

Internship Coordinator

Hi! My name is Nica Hermosillo, and I am a Community Engagement instructor here at Health Sciences High and Middle College (HSHMC). Prior to arriving here, I served in non-profit operations and identified the needs of San Diego’s homeless population to connect them with key resources. I also founded my own initiative titled Feeding Daygo, where I provided essential forms of support to local citizens and businesses.

At HSHMC, the students in the Community Engagement pathway are tasked with exploring their unique passions in a manner that will equip them to give back to society. This is shown in the individual internships that students hold in areas such as media arts, education, and personal fitness. Some examples of this were shown in the previous school year, where we developed a new garden on campus and planted fruit trees for future cohorts to have access to fresh produce. This year, we are working to create a closet for individuals that are in need of clothing. Our school also offers large-scale events on campus that provide free haircuts, hot meals, and holiday grocery baskets. In sum, our program goal is to promote creativity and selflessness for the leaders of the next generation.