Erica  Jones
(Formerly Altamirano)
Jefferies Family Scholarship Recipient
2003-2005

A Love of Teaching

After receiving her bachelor's degree from California State University, Dominguez Hills, Erica Jones obtained her master's degree in Education. She found her calling to become a teacher for young children, while doing volunteer work in elementary schools in Texas. "I felt great satisfaction knowing that I helped a child read and understand a curriculum that was confusing."

Erica is currently a certified educator in the Los Angeles Unified School District teaching grade school. "I enjoy teaching very much, except for the disciplinary aspect." She plans on teaching grade school for at least five more years, but is interested in working at an education company that focuses on developing and improving early literacy programs.

A Rewarding Path
"My life is where I want it to be. I have a career of choice and am blessed to have had a parent that worked in a company that helps support children in their educational and career dreams," she says. Erica also feels very accomplished in her personal life as well. She and her husband have young twins who keep them busy.

A Family First
Erica is very proud of her academic and professional achievements. She is the first in her family to be a college graduate with a bachelor's and a master's degrees.

The Jefferies Family Scholarship also helped her two younger siblings, Ninoska and Javier in their academic pursuits. Her father, Carlos Altamirano, is very grateful to the program for absorbing some of the costs of tuition. "Means of paying for college is not a worry anymore for him," she says. Carlos worked in copy services at Jefferies' Los Angeles office for 20 years.

Erica credits the scholarship for allowing her to have the privilege to work as an educator for young children. "The program is a true blessing for those that have difficulties with the financial burden brought by tuition fees or other fees necessary for a successful experience in higher education."

Embracing Challenge
Ninoska Altimiranos, was a recipient of the Jefferies Family Scholarship during her undergraduated career at Brigham Young University from where she graduated with a major in French and a minor in Editing. Her interest in French began as a freshman in high school when she actually had difficulty learning the language. "I struggled with French in the beginning, but I was determined to learn, and I got better and better at reading and writing," she recalls. In her senior year of high school she received an award for her excellence in the language from the French Society. Her interest in editing came later, while taking summer classes at BYU in desktop publishing and editing. "There were a lot of fun projects to work on as part of the program and I found I really enjoyed it," she says. Outside of school and work, Ninoska loves to run, scrapbook, read, play the piano and watercolor. "I like to dabble in a lot of different things," says Ninoska.

A Real Family scholarship
The scholarship has greatly helped Ninoska and her family. Ninoska's sister, Erica is also a former JFS recipients who teaches in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Ninoska's brother, Javier, also received the scholarship while completing his undergraduate degree at California State University, Long Beach. Carlos Ninoska's father worked in copy services in Jefferies' Los Angeles office for over 20 years. Ninoska is thankful for the help she received from JFS. "I used the funding to help cover the overall costs of tuition, housing, and books," says Ninoska. "It was really valuable for me."