Jackie Alarcon

Program Coordinator, Marina Middle School, James Lick Middle School, Luther Burbank Middle School

Teacher-Coordinator, Galileo High School

"Jackie is all heart and she is also a lion. She will go to bat for any young person who is being de-valued or ignored. She helps them to advocate with teachers, with family members and with potential employers."

"When I was a high school student at Galileo Jackie encouraged me to try everything that my heart desired. When other people doubted me Jackie was there to cheer me on. When I first met Jackie, I was a Youth Outreach Worker and it was then that Jackie both prepared and entrusted in me to be a leader to my peers. With the help of Jackie I conducted presentations to my peers about drugs/alcohol, STIs and Peer Pressure awareness. The skills I learned from Jackie via Peers also gave me the confidence to run for student government. Now, 16 years later I am using these same skills to run my own company where I help entrepreneurs turn their business dreams into reality."

Jackie Alarcon received her Bachelor of Arts, teaching credential in Art Education, and a Master’s in Education from San Francisco State University. She started with Peer Resources in 1990 working at Marina Middle School, James Lick Middle School, Luther Burbank Middle School, and is currently at Galileo High School. Outside of the school district, Jackie has worked as an artist and director for the Street SmArt Program funded through Mexican Museum, implemented the youth summer program at the Samoan Community Development Program, and numerous after-school programs at Luther Burbank Middle School, Marina Middle School and Galileo’s Futurama Program.

"I am proud that I have wanted to continue to work in direct services, with the students in the classroom, and as a consistent supporter of young folks within and outside of the Peer Resource Organization. I have been mentored by some really great folks inside Peer Resource like May, Judy, and Vicki. I have been lucky enough to have worked alongside some impressive and talented people such as Ed, Amelia, Morgan, Fakhra, Elizabeth, Sarah B, and Nivas. I feel honored to call them my colleagues and friends. I love what I do, however it can be challenging because I have had to deal with heartbreak for their living situations, disappointment from their poor decisions, and their complacency towards issues that I know they really do care about and affect them. Having said all that they fill my heart with hope for a better world, gratification from all their hard work, excitement for the future they are building, and pure love from their big hearts, my cup runneth over."

Jackie Alarcon