Chynna Martinez

2024 "Pass the Torch" Scholarship Finalist

“First day of sophomore year, and I saw her, and my little 14-year-old eyes were like ‘this is the coolest person I’ve ever seen.’”

Black docs, dark eyeliner, a Pink Floyd t-shirt. But Ms. Cameron wasn’t a punk-rocker out to topple the establishment; she was a high school teacher. Then again, maybe she was a bit of both. Like many of her classmates, Chynna Martinez had grown up with the idea that girls should be “quiet and feminine.” But Ms. Cameron was unabashedly herself. She taught them it wasn’t just ok to be a smart and opinionated woman—it was cool. Chynna now carries this same bold energy with her as she prepares to enter her own classroom.

Here is Chynna's story about Ms. Cameron, the teacher who inspired her.

Want to hear the stories of the other nine finalists? Visit our 2024 Scholarship Finalists page.

Thinking of applying to this year's program? Learn more on our Teachers Test Prep "Pass the Torch" Teacher Scholarships page.