From Farmworker to Teacher: Spotlight on Fajardo

Loved by many, Felipe Fajardo once marched alongside Cesar Chavez. “As a teenager, I worked in the fields picking crops from sunup to sundown, every day of the week, during the summers,” said Fajardo. Though he has worked at CVHS for six years, many students don’t know how his experiences as a farm worker would later guide his journey into education.

Reflecting on his connection to Chavez, Fajardo shared how he and Cesar Chavez were from the same part of the country, although Cesar Chavez was from Arizona and he was from that part of California adjacent to Arizona. “We come from the same environment, the same place of the country, the same desert area,” said Fajardo. “He used to be a farmworker, and although he was much, much older than I was, we used to do the same labor along the field.”

Teaching was Fajardo’s second career. After spending 12 years working at the former Toyota Plant in Fremont, he decided to pursue a new career. “I wanted to become a teacher because I wanted to do more than just work at an auto plant and working with young people was a good opportunity,” he said. “Getting to know people like you guys and gals is a nice experience.” 

Freshmen student Isabella Vazquez expresses her appreciation for Fajardo’s teaching: “I really like Mr. Fajardo he’s a really good teacher and a very easy person to talk to in anout of class,” Vazquez said. “Out of all my classes Mr. Fajardos is my favorite because of the great environment he has in the class and how I get to improve on my Spanish speaking.” 

In the early 2000s, Fajardo returned to school at San Diego State University, where he followed his passion for education. “I enjoyed school so much, I double majored in Spanish and Psychology,” said Fajardo. He didn’t stop there, continuing to a Master’s at Sacramento State University. 

In 2018, Fajardo joined the CVHS faculty, bringing over a decade of teaching experience. Now, in his 16th year as a teacher, he reflects on how his background as a farmworker shaped his values. “It just gives you a sense of responsibility and hard work,” he said. “I’m not afraid of hard work, hard work is what I do.” 

Beyond teaching, Fajardo’s hobbies reveal his lively personality. During the pandemic, at 58, he learned to skateboard. Looking ahead into the future, he plans on retiring in a few years and hopes to spend his free time surfing, kite surfing, and staying active. “Hopefully my body isn’t too old to enjoy some physical activities,” he joked.