Marisela Lopez has been in the educational system now for 20 years. She started working as a receptionist at an elementary school while working on her bachelor’s degree. She currently works for Sunset High School in Dallas, Texas as a Career and Technology Teacher and the Campus Assistant Athletic Coordinator. Her first teaching position was at her alma mater at Bel Air High School (YISD) in El Paso, Texas and then she moved to Americas High School (SISD) also in El Paso, Texas. She decided to move to Dallas, Texas 10 years ago and has taught at Thomas Jefferson High School and currently at Sunset High School. She is proud to say that her parents taught her the importance of education and a great work ethic. She has been coaching soccer for over 20 years as well. This is her love and one of the reasons why she is in the educational system today. She was awarded Dallas Soccer Coach of the Year in 2007. Marisela’s first Texas Educator Certificate was her Educational Secretary II in 1995 and in 2002, she received her Office Education Certificate. She received her Bachelor of Science in Management Computer Information Systems in 1999. In 2010, she received her Masters of Education in Educational Administration with an Emphasis in School Leadership.
Over the years, she has been in different leadership roles at her campus. She is part of the Attendance Committee Team, Principal’s Plan Coordinator, School Website Coordinator, Head Soccer Coach, Graduation Coordinator, and the Campus Assistant Athletic Coordinator. This year she received an award from our District Athletic Department as the 2015 Dallas Female Athletic Coordinator of the Year. Her dream job is one day to become the District Athletic Director since her passion is student success and athletics.
Why do you teach? I started teaching since I always wanted to be a positive female role model to teenage parents. I was a teenage parent at age 17 and not a lot of people believed that I would be able to attend college and be successful. I am the first in my family to receive both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree; my family and children are very proud of me.
What do you love about teaching? I enjoy how my students and athletes love to learn from my experiences. My students and athletes also teach me new savvy technology skills and new soccer drills. I love to see how they react when they are the teacher and I am the student. I have to say that this is my passion and why I chose this profession.
When you were a student, was there a great teacher who inspired you? I owe my success to two of my high school coaches, Ms. Patty Mullaney and Mr. Roger Velasquez. They both inspired me to be the amazing teacher and coach that I am today. Coach Mullaney and Coach Velasquez were the number one reason why I was hired at my alma mater. They both believed in me and never gave up on me even after I became a teenage parent. I was successful academically, athletically and professionally because of both coaches being my mentors as a student and professionally. They both taught me to inspire, build positive relationships, and pay it forward, especially to our teenage parents that may not have someone to believe in them and guide them.
