Ivett is our newest Site Coordinator at Mount Baker Middle School, in the Mount Vernon School District.
Ivett Zavala was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. She holds an Associate in Applied Science degree in Early Childhood Education and has earned both the State Initial Early Childhood Education Certificate and the State Short Early Childhood Education Certificate. Ivett has worked with youth for nine years. Most of that time was spent with early childhood, but working with teens this last year has helped her find her calling with middle schoolers.
She worked with Skagit Island Head Start for nine years, focusing on preschool education. Ivett loved every minute of it, but she felt it was time to try something new with middle schoolers. She is the proud mother of two boys. Her first child, Yandel, is 10 years old and changed her life forever. Her second child, Edgar, is three. Ivett loves her boys more than anything in the world.
In her own time, Ivett enjoys hanging out with family and spending her summers outdoors. The winters are long, but she makes the best of them by watching her son play soccer. Ivett is passionate about being able to work with students each day, exploring new ideas, and having fun learning experiences with children. Each day brings new opportunities to build relationships, engage in learning in different and meaningful ways, and make an impact on the lives of others.
Ivett came to Communities in Schools of Whatcom-Skagit because of connections she made with kids through the Boys & Girls Club. While working during the summer at LaVenture, she realized that a lot of these middle schoolers are in need of someone to talk to and hear them. In this position, she believes she will be able to impact these children in a more direct way.
Ivett’s belief is that all youth should have equal and fair access to youth resources in their community. Many of the youth are misunderstood and simply need a space where they can be themselves and not be judged. Ivett was a teen mom, and she has two kids who actually got her to where she is today. She has always been around kids. She used to babysit children when she was 12-16 years old, and at 18, she had her firstborn. Ivett then went to school to be a preschool teacher and stayed in that field. Finally, she took a break and went to aesthetician school. After finishing school, she applied for the Boys & Girls Club and believes she found her calling with middle schoolers. Every day, people change and adapt, and today, Ivett thinks she was meant to help teens be successful and stay in school.
One fundamental aspect Ivett wants to work on is education. She believes education is often the key to a better life. In her community, many children do not have access to quality education. To change this, Ivett wants to make information about quality education more accessible. She plans to use social media platforms to promote information about scholarships, after-school programs, and other resources that can help students excel.