Gabriel Hernández

Gabriel is a first-generation, low-income college graduate who is passionate about improving public access to quality education in the United States. He wants to work as a principal, a superintendent, and eventually at a policy level in order to make decisions that benefit both teachers and students in urban public schools.

Outside of education, Gabriel loves writing songs, making music samples, and playing all kinds of sports (catch him running 5’s at the local gym or playing pick-up soccer/ultimate on the weekends).

Gabriel started playing ultimate during his freshman year of college, when his roommate invited him to tryout for the team. He ended up really liking it and wanted to work hard to get better. Now, he spends his days as a math teacher at TJ Rusk Middle School in Dallas and is a full-time master’s student at the Johns Hopkins School of Education.

When I think of ultimate, I think of the community it represents. Because of this, “living ultimate” means upholding the supportive community values and sportsmanship that defines the sport, both on and off the field.

I grew a lot as a person during college, and ultimate was a big frame of reference through which I learned valuable lessons about trust, positivity, and hunger. Because of this, I want to inspire others to pursue their dreams while also being supportive to the people around them.