Get To Know Ms. Ortiz
By Stephanie Valero, Coralye Alcaraz, Milene Pantoja
Ms. Ortiz, beloved biology teacher here at Somerset Academy South Homestead, is known for her bubbly personality and her passion for science. However, passion doesn't just manifest overnight, it takes dedication and years of work to become the teacher Ortiz is today.
Ever since preschool, she has shown interest in animals, rocks, and water. According to her mother she was always playing in the water tables outside and that her favorite pastimes involved toy animals. She would organize the animals into zoo and marine animals which plays into her college majors that she would pursue later in life.
Although she teaches science it hasn't always been her strongest subject. STEM has always been her best area of knowledge, surely, but more so math than science. In middle school she was the most mathematically achieving student and received recognition for her calculating ability. Likewise, she got Principal Honor rolls many times in high school, as well as being part of the Math Honor Society, Science Honor Society, and National Honor Society.
In college she majored in marine biology at FIU and Chemistry at MDC. She was on the dean’s list twice and eventually acquired an AA for Chemistry and a bachelor’s in marine biology in the spring of 2020.
She first started her career at Somerset Academy South Homestead in 2020, the same school she teaches at to this day. “I enjoy biology but more specifically marine biology because it connects everything together and it mixes in a lot of different sciences,” stated Ms. Ortiz. Even though she wanted to be a marine biologist, she does not regret her decision to become a teacher.
Her teaching strategies have changed a lot over the past couple years. She has stated that she likes to do more hands-on activities to help students process her lessons better in a more fun and unique way. She believes walking around the classroom while her students are working helps her understand and see what students are struggling with.
Ms. Ortiz has learned many fascinating things over the course of her life, the favorite being that common sense is not the same for everyone. She believes that you have to explain to everyone the basics of things and tell them the whole story because not everyone views things the same.
Her contributions to the STEM program here at Somerset Academy South Homestead will bear its fruit for years to come.