The move from Peru to the U.S. was no small feat for Dashmilia Guevara-Pulido.
At just 9 years old, Guevara-Pulido boarded a plane to the U.S., clinging to her family for comfort as their lives were changed forever.
The young girl was exposed to the difficulties of a language barrier and strain of moving to a new country.
Public spaces like school became a game of survival.
“During elementary, especially because I was so young, I found it hard to adjust to the new culture and fit in with the other kids,” she said.
Despite this, Guevara-Pulido chose to wear a bright smile on her face, a habit that would stick for years to come.
“I think this experience affected me in the sense that it has made me more sensitive to others and what kids go through,” Guevara-Pulido said. “The greatest struggles are often the ones we can’t see.”
This move would be one of many factors that compelled Guevara-Pulido to apply for a campus supervisor position at Sunny Hills.
Her official start date was Sept. 25, but the Fullerton Joint Union High School District’s board of trustees didn’t officially approve of the hire until its Tuesday, Dec. 12, meeting, according to the board’s agenda.
Guevara-Pulido works Mondays through Fridays as the fourth addition to the supervision aid team, replacing Isai Fernandez, who moved to pursue an occupation as a college assistant football coach in Kansas.
After graduating from Sante Fe High School in Santa Fe Springs, the new campus supervisor said she chose to pursue a major in child education at California State University, Fullerton, in 2006. However, during her second year, she chose to take a break to work full time as a receptionist and move out of her parents’ house.
In doing so, Guevara-Pulido hoped to experience independence while doing something she was passionate about.
“It was fun,” she said. “I really like engaging with people, and as a receptionist, you deal with everyone coming in and out.”
To further pursue her passion for collaborative working, Guevara-Pulido later took a job in the afterschool program called Think Together, first working in Whitter as a program leader, then Santa Ana for the summer and finally, in Sante Fe Springs for the main office.
For three years from 2010-2013, she taught a variety of subjects, including English, math, science, technology, engineering and the arts, to students grades K-5, discovering more of her own strengths along the way.
“I think I am able to communicate very well with students and assist [them] in any way I can,” Guevara-Pulido said. “Being able to help them with something as simple as schoolwork and seeing the smiles on their faces as they finally understood the concept was truly a rewarding experience for me.”
Guevara-Pulido knew she wanted to advance her career in education.
“I know I have the capacity for student communication and aid,” the new campus supervisor said.
After Guevara-Pulido’s daughter enrolled in the Fullerton Joint Union High School District, she got interested in working within the familiar area. Seeing an open position for a campus supervisor on a job searching website, she was ready to apply.
“It just seemed like a really good fit,” Guevara-Pulido said, remembering her excitement at the potential of working with a new student body. “I know Sunny is a great school, and the job itself sounded appealing.”
After her resume and cover letter were approved, Guevara-Pulido said she had her first interview with assistant principals Peter Karavedas and Heather Bradley.
“In hiring a campus supervisor, we look for someone who is going to be dependable — someone who cares about the community and someone who can be relational,” Karavedas said. “Dash is all of those things.”
Karavedas gave the new staff member a good-natured piece of advice before she officially started the job.
“I told her, ‘On any given day, 95% of the students are doing the right thing; it’s up to us to catch the remaining 5% and make sure it doesn’t become 6%,’” he said. “Even now, I think she’s capable.”
“Whenever I talk to her, she is nice and genuine,” said Dominguez, who likes to greet Sunny Hills staff whenever he sees them. “To me, part of being a supervisor is brightening people’s days, so she’ll do well for the school.”
Senior Madelyn Guzman, who encountered the supervisor during break time in October, said the same.
“She’s really friendly, I can tell she really cares about keeping students both safe and happy,” Guzman said.
In fact, the supervisor’s positive attitude has stirred talk among the student body.
“My friends do nothing but praise her with kindness,” junior Keshav Bharadwaj said.
Now, Guevara-Pulido said she is enjoying her time on her new campus.
“The environment is very welcoming,” she said. “The staff is amazing, and I’ve already gotten the chance to engage with a lot of students — everyone is pleasant and so far, my experience has been great.”
In the future, the campus supervisor hopes to be a part of the SH counseling department after earning her credential in the future.
“I like being someone that students can go to for help,” Guevara-Pulido said. “Being campus supervisor has already been so fulfilling for me, so eventually, I want to do more.”
