Melissa Marchese: Mary Roosevelt Honor Scholar in Teaching and Learning

Master of Arts in Teaching Multiple Subject Candidate Melissa Marchese has been awarded the 2017-2018 Mary Roosevelt Honor Scholarship in Teaching and Learning, presented by Mrs. Mary Roosevelt on November 7, 2017.

About Melissa Marchese

​​I come from a long line of teachers – my great grandmother, grandmother, mother, and two cousins all taught in the California public school system. A deep appreciation for education was instilled in me from a young age, but it was not until I worked with children managing a food pantry and community meal program that I developed my own passion for teaching. I worked as an Instructional Assistant in the Irvine Unified School District and currently student teach in IUSD. I believe in the power of public education as an equalizer in society and that a quality education provides empowerment and mobility for young people. I envision my future classroom to be a place where students take initiative to create positive change in their communities as I foster the growth of leaders committed to social and ecological justice in action.