Bijou Community School principal to receive LTCC Distinguished Alumni Award

The Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) Foundation is pleased to announce that Bijou Community School Principal Cindy Martinez is the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award for 2018, which she will receive at LTCC’s Commencement ceremony on Friday, June 29. Each year, the LTCC Foundation recognizes one special LTCC graduate to receive this prestigious award based on their exemplary achievements in academic, business, artistic or civic activities.

Martinez serves as the educational leader of the Bijou Community School and the Two-Way Bilingual Immersion Program in South Lake Tahoe. She is responsible for working with other district teams to support the development and articulation of the Two-Way Bilingual Immersion Program system-wide, from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.

LTCC Superintendent/President Jeff DeFranco said, “We’re so proud of Cindy’s many accomplishments, and are excited about the bright future she’s got ahead of her. As a first-generation college student, she’s an outstanding role model for so many of LTCC’s students, more than a third of whom are the first in their families to attend college, just like Cindy. Many people at LTCC know her very well and are thrilled about her receiving this award – it is well deserved.”

Martinez was born in South Lake Tahoe, but left with her family to Mexico to attend primary school. She moved back to town as she started 9th grade – and quickly came to realize how difficult it was to be a bright person and strong academic performer, but not to have the necessary English skills in place. “My own personal experience got me into education,” she says. “Learning the necessary academics and English at the same time without a program in place to support that was a struggle. South Tahoe High counselors Tere Tibbetts and Aaron Barnett (both are now academic counselors at LTCC) were instrumental in ensuring that we were exposed to the right level of academic work so we could reach our potential.”

Martinez continued to work on her strengths and develop her skills in English as a first-generation college student at LTCC, where she graduated from in 2002 with an Associate degree in Liberal Studies. She used savings from work to transfer to California State University, Sacramento (CSUS), where she earned her Bachelor’s in Liberal Studies. She continued there to earn her Bilingual, Cross-cultural, Language and Academic Development (BCLAD) Teaching Credentials in 2005. She eventually earned her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Administrative Credentials there in 2011. While at CSUS, Martinez began working with the university’s Migrant Education program, providing tutoring and teaching support to farm-worker families. “This inspired me to go into teaching,” Martinez says.

While at a training event in Sacramento, Martinez ran into Sue O’Connor, director of LTCC’s Intensive Spanish Summer Institute (ISSI). “Sue urged me to think about coming back to Tahoe, as the Two-Way Bilingual Immersion program was just being developed and launched. I could explore my passion for dual language and work closely with families I knew personally.”

After returning to Tahoe, Martinez began as a first grade teacher at Bijou. Two years later, she transitioned into teaching third grade. She also served as an Early Intervention for Student Success Coach and a Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) program mentor, where she shared her successful teaching style and experience. She moved into school administration in 2013, and has served as principal at Bijou Community School for the past five years.

“It was a little scary at first, being a young person and new to the whole administrator thing,” says Martinez. “Now you’re the leader. I make sure I hear everyone’s feedback while still keeping an eye on the big picture. It’s important to have that vision and know where you want to end up, so you don’t get redirected.”

Martinez has volunteered with many different organizations during her career. She is a CSUS Multicultural Conference volunteer, is part of the Latino Literacy Project, was a Family Resource Center Board member from 2013 to 2016, a member of the Tahoe Women’s Community Fund, a community member serving on the 2016 LTCC Presidential Screening Committee, and is part of the Administrative Leadership Academy at the El Dorado County Office of Education.

Martinez said, “Es un gran honor ser reconocida como una alumna distinguida de LTCC y recibir este reconocimiento. Estoy agradecida de poder compartir mi experiencia personal y mi pasión de trabajar en un ambiente bilingüe, bi-literal y multicultural con los jóvenes de esta comunidad. Le agradezco a todas las personas que me han apoyado y motivado a tomar nuevos retos y explorar nuevos mundos. Los invito a que digan “SÍ” a nuevas oportunidades por temerosas que puedan llegar a ser; el mundo está lleno de personas que los guiarán y les ayudarán a enfrentar sus retos y miedos. Su esfuerzo y dedicación asegurará que sus sueños se hagan realidad. Lo primero es soñar. ¿Qué cambiarías tú?”

“It is a great honor to be acknowledged as a distinguished LTCC student, and to receive this acknowledgement,” said Martinez. “I am thankful to be able to share my personal experience and my passion for working in a bilingual, bi-literal and multicultural environment with the youth of our community. I am thankful for all the people that have supported and motivated me to challenge myself and explore new worlds. I’m inviting you to say ‘yes’ to new opportunities, even though they may be scary. The world is full of people that will guide you and help you to confront your challenges and fears. Your efforts and dedication will ensure that your dreams will come true. The first step is to dream. What would you change?”

The entire community is welcome to attend LTCC’s Commencement ceremony Friday, June 29 at 6pm on LTCC’s synthetic turf soccer field. The theme of this year’s ceremony is, “The Journey Forward.” No tickets are required to attend, and there will be plenty of seating available. The event will be live streamed for those who cannot attend – head to http://bit.ly/LTCCgrad starting at 5:45pm on June 29 to watch.

For more information about the 2018 Commencement ceremony, contact the Office of Student Life Coordinator Julie Booth at (530) 541-4660 ext. 477, or email booth@ltcc.edu. Information about the ceremony is also available on LTCC’s website at www.ltcc.edu/graduation.