This Hispanic Heritage Month, Davis School District is proud to highlight the work and story of Veronica Jorgensen, a Spanish teacher at Farmington Junior High School who brings her heritage and values into the classroom each day.
Jorgensen said her parents have shaped her journey more than anyone else.
“They taught me the values of integrity, professionalism, and respect for other people’s ideologies and cultures,” she said. “They reminded me that we are all different and that diversity should be valued.”
Her upbringing in Tecate, Mexico, a border town with California, also continues to influence her work. She grew up celebrating Mexican traditions such as Día de los Muertos and the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe, as well as American traditions like Halloween and Thanksgiving.
“This combination taught me to value cultural richness and to see identity as something that can be celebrated in many ways,” Jorgensen said.
In her classroom, she strives to help students understand that Spanish is more than a language — it is a gateway into diverse cultures and traditions.
“It is important to me that my students understand that while we may share the same language, our traditions and ways of life are diverse — and not all Hispanics are Mexican,” she said. “This helps them gain a deeper appreciation of the Hispanic world as a whole.”
Though teaching was not her first career, Jorgensen said it has become her true calling.
“Something people might be surprised to learn about me is how deeply I love teaching, even though it is my second career path,” she said. “Education goes far beyond academics — it is about building a classroom environment where students feel included, respected and motivated to connect with cultures beyond their own.”
