Pryscilla Olivarez is the principal of Rocketship Southside Community Prep. Pryscilla is the first in her family to attend a university and graduate with her bachelor’s degree, and continue on to obtain her master’s degree in education. This drive began when she started working in education 12 years ago and was given the opportunity to shadow a student who was transitioning from special education life skills class to a general education class permanently. As her student achieved greater independence, Pryscilla’s support for one student grew to support for the entire class. More and more, she saw herself in her students. She saw herself in their reactions, in their fears, and in their aspirations. She knew that these students were dealing with something much bigger than themselves because she had faced those same obstacles. So, her commitment to education is deeply personal. She commits to always putting students first and to being a strong advocate for a whole-child approach to serving students.

She has demonstrated this commitment for nearly a decade as a teacher and almost 5 years now as a school leader. As a school leader, she has been able to expand her impact and appreciate the opportunity, as well as responsibility, to lead an entire community to provide a high-quality educational experience for students. It is this high-quality educational experience, as well as a culture of excellence and belonging that she wants to bring to Rocketship Southside Community Prep. She looks forward to partnering with key stakeholders to ensure that they are challenging themselves and each other to be and do their best for students. She believes that together, we can close the academic gap in our lifetime.