susan valenta youth leadership award
GILROY
spice of life awards
Written By Kimberly Ewertz
Jane
T
TOVAR
he parade of familiar faces was
quite a surprise for Jane Tovar,
17, recipient of the Susan
Valenta Youth Leadership
Award, when they marched into her his-
tory class last fall.
Leading the parade was Sonia Flores,
Principal of Dr. TJ Owens Gilroy Early
College Academy, who nominated Jane
for the prestigious award. Jane’s mother,
stepfather, three siblings, and Gilroy’s
Chamber of Commerce President and
CEO, Mark Turner, followed closely
behind.
“I got scared because my mom was
crying and I thought, Oh no, some-
thing’s happened,” Jane said. “Then Ms.
Flores announced that I’d gotten the
award.”
Having her family in attendance was
as much of a gift to Jane as receiving the
award.
34
“They all stayed home from work
just to go to my school to see me get the
award,” she said.
Jane’s love for her family, especially
her mother Rosa Velazquez, is her driv-
ing force.
“She’s a very strong woman. I love her
and she’s been through a lot and she still
manages to give us so much love,” she
said, adding that Rosa is her rock.
Jane is well aware that her mother—
who grew up in Mexico and was liv-
ing on her own at age 15—never had
the opportunities she’s been fortunate
enough to experience, especially her
education.
“That’s why I care so much about
school because she didn’t go to school,”
Jane said. She feels that she is going to
school for them both.
Jane’s passion to give her all to her
family began early on with selling straw-
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
SPRING 2020
berries in the family’s front yard, and
accompanying her mother to local flea
markets where she sold homemade cup-
cakes. Even her choice to attend GECA
was a way to help as she felt earning a
two-year degree would lessen the finan-
cial burden on her mom.
Jane’s passion to help not only her
family, but the underserved as well, con-
tinues to be her guiding light. Growing
up in an environment where finan-
cial struggles were the norm, she’s well
aware that underserved people lack the
option of thinking about where their
food comes from, or what’s best for the
environment.
“My senior project is about food secu-
rity and sustainability because people
should not be worrying about when
they’re going to eat, or if they’re going to
eat,” Jane said.
“Sustainability can benefit everyone,”
she said. “I feel like it’s up to community
leaders to take on that responsibility…
having a sustainable life should not be
a privilege.”
Jane’s drive to do her best and the
best for others came with a cost. By
high school the young teen experienced
unmanageable stress and fell into a
depressive state, isolating herself from
family and friends. She is grateful that
Ms. Flores reached out and offered her
counseling at school.
“I went to counseling. I told them
everything,” she said. “I was so happy
I was crying partly because there was
so much on my chest, and then crying
because I was happy to finally be there.”
Jane advises all teens who may be
struggling to take that first step to get
the resources they need.
“Once you start, they’ll help you so
much. You’re not alone and what you’re
going through is not going to last for-
ever; you’re going to make it through.”
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