by Maaz Alin – Santa Monica Daily Express, California
Jasson Martinez has come full circle at Santa Monica High School, returning as a math teacher to the campus where he graduated in 2019.
Martinez, who attended McKinley Elementary and Lincoln Middle School before graduating from Samohi, earned his undergraduate degree and teaching credential at California State University, Long Beach. He now teaches Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 to freshmen and juniors.
His decision to pursue education was influenced by a pivotal moment during summer school at Samohi, when he met Mr. Veral, his first male Latino math teacher.
“Mr. Veral was my first math teacher who was a male identifying Latino and to me, this was a sign that Latinos can do it,” Martinez said. “It showed me that I can also have a purpose in the place I didn’t expect.”
Martinez said he focuses on creating a welcoming environment where students feel comfortable being themselves and changing the mindset of “when will I need this math in my life?” to showing that math is everywhere.
As the first Latino in his family to earn a college degree, Martinez said his achievement represents more than personal success. His immigrant parents wanted to show that “Latinos can do it,” he said.
Martinez supports three Latino-based clubs that meet in his classroom, aligning with the district’s mission of belonging, curiosity and empowerment. He said he wants students to make connections and learn from mistakes in his classroom.
Outside of teaching, Martinez enjoys spending time with his family, girlfriend and dogs.
His journey from student to teacher reflects the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District’s values and demonstrates how educators can give back to the communities that shaped them.
October 11, 2025