www.masbakersfield.com

Long, winding path takes Shafter High School principal to life’s destination

Jaime Quiñónez has worked hard to get where he is.

 As the principal of Shafter High School for the last six years, Quiñónez has come a long way since his birth in Canutillo, Texas.

Because his small hometown in Anthony, New Mexico didn’t have a clinic, Quiñónez’s parents had to drive to Canutillo to find one.

In many ways, Quiñónez’s birth is symbolic of the travels he has endured in in his life.

When Quiñónez was 6-months old, he moved to Durango, Mexico and stayed there until his parents — his father was a farm laborer — moved to Pahrump, Nevada.

From there, it was a move to Lamont in the fourth grade and eventually, Quiñónez graduated from East High School and attended CSUB.

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in business finance, and after working in the private sector until he was 29, Quiñónez decided he wanted to enter the education field. He went on to earn his master’s degree from the University of Laverne in educational leadership, all while supporting his wife and three kids.

“I told my wife that my resolution this year was to spend more time with her and my three kids. We are both always so busy, so my goal is to spend more time with my family,” said Quiñónez.

Now 45, Quiñónez continues to challenge himself.

For the past two years, he has participated in the Volkslauf, a six-mile obstacle course that the Marines put on every year to raise money for Toys for Tots.

“As I feel like I get older, I need to find new challenges. The first year in the Volkslauf, I didn’t think I would finish. But I did,” said Quiñónez.

MÁS recently caught up with Quiñónez in some of his rare free time and asked him a few questions:

Q: What are some of the challenges you have faced as an educator?
A: “Out of college, I was worked in business, in the private sector. When I decided I wanted to make the transition into education, I was newly married and just had a baby. I worked full time and was going to school at night and it was very challenging. This was was the biggest challenge for me. It is very hard work when you want to change careers and with the support of my wife, I was able to do it.”

Q: What are some of the challenges you see facing students at Shafter?
A: “I don’t think our kids are any different than kids from other schools. They have the capacity to do whatever they want with their education. Sometimes, our kids don’t come from households with the income levels of other students, which means they might not have some of the resources that other kids have. This just means that they have to work harder to pursue their educational dreams.”

Q: What must students do to achieve academically?
A: “Work hard. There is no substitute for hard work and believing in yourself. Students must also take advantage of the resources that are available to them. They have no excuses, all the resources they need are here. I always tell students they have four years here, so they need to take advantage of their teachers, sports, activities and everything else we provide for them.  If students can’t afford a computer at home, we have them here. If the students need books, we have them in the library. Our teachers will provide students with the support they need to succeed.”

Q: What is unique about Shafter High School?
A: “We get a lot of community support. The parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles have close ties with Shafter High School. They are all Generals. We are also the only high school in town, which means we have great ties with the community and there is a rich tradition here. The city council and local business are also very supportive. The parents come out to events and support all the kids, including their own. We are a very close knit community here, and it provides us with tremendous support.”

Q: Who has been an inspiration to you academically?
A: “My dad inspired me the most because he was such a hard worker and provided for his family. Also, my counselors at East High School, Armando Vasquez and Jim Nuanez, were both very key supporters in my adolescence and even now. Without them, I would not have gone into a four-year university right out of high school.”

Q: What is the best cure for “senioritis”, that ailment that often afflicts high school seniors ready for the end of classes?
A: “You start to see it around this time of year. Seniors, who are well ahead of what they need to do to graduate, start to relax a bit. We tell seniors, especially ones going to a four-year university, to finish strong.”