Ms. Emmily Sarmiento joined the Fort Lauderdale High School Social Studies Department in March of 2020, teaching Global Perspectives.           

Ms. Sarmiento did not always enjoy history. 

“While the information was somewhat interesting, it never really stuck. It wasn’t until I realized that events and topics in history relate directly back to me, that the curiosity for social sciences sparked,” explained Ms. Sarmiento. “Now, I always try to put a global perspective on everything.” 

Ms. Sarmiento has been teaching since she was in high school. At her alma mater, Charles W. Flanagan High School, she was a part of the Urban Teacher Academy Program (UTAP). During her time in UTAP, she taught several elementary classes from kindergarten to fourth grade. After she graduated high school, she continued to gain teaching experience at middle schools and high schools, and was even a substitute teacher for some time. All of her teaching experiences have made her both a better teacher and person.

“I met a lot of amazing people, both educators and students, who taught me a lot. I continue to cherish those experiences and aim to keep making new ones,” she shared.  

So far what she enjoys most about Fort Lauderdale High School is our amazing staff team.

“Every single person, no matter their role, works hard to make Fort Lauderdale High School feel like home and they succeed at doing so,” commented Ms. Sarmiento. 

Ms. Sarmiento enjoys her students’ discussions the most. She loves when her students voice their opinions and learn new things from each other. Her goals as a teacher go beyond just the academic success of her students. She aims to get her students to see the positive effect they can have on others and see the potential they have in themselves. 

“I strive to be the teacher who can teach her kids while having fun…as cliché as that sounds,” enlightened Ms. Sarmiento. 

Why did Ms. Sarmiento want to become a teacher?  

“The vacation days, of course!” she joked. “In all seriousness, it was because I want to have a positive impact on the future generation and continue to learn from others.”

We look forward to seeing Ms. Sarmiento’s growth in her new role as a Flying L.

This article is part of our series on new teachers in the 2020-21 school year. To see the full list of new teachers, click here.