There is an unspoken kinship among students who attended the Pembroke Pines Charter High School, a bond that is so powerful that it leaves reason for the existence of an online community run by media specialist Priscilla Chaca and media assistant Yasmin Martinez. To Chaca, the purpose is “to make our forever jags know this is always their home,” which is why their social media accounts are all named ‘Jaguar Pride.’
Chaca and Martinez stepped in during 2023, after Assistant Principal Melissa Fernandez helped them access an alumni Facebook page that began more than 10 years ago. They quickly revived it and launched an Instagram page to invite graduates to the first Alumni Homecoming, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Class of 2003.
“At first, [the page] was our avenue to bring alumni together,” they say. “Over time [we’ve] really focused on making the page more engaging and personal.”
Today, the duo prides themselves on their social engagement and outreach. As Martinez explains, “The main goals are reconnecting graduates, highlighting their career and college paths, and providing inspiration and guidance for current students.” Together, the two consistently post about Broward’s local events as well as achievements of past students.
Through featuring specific alumni, Chaca and Martinez are able to detail each graduation year and career milestone. “We reach out via social media, explain [why we featured that alumnus], and from there, we work together to finalize the post so it’s accurate and personal.”
They also attempt to reshare alumni posts, allowing for an opportunity to share successes and milestones. “It feels very much like a family, in that we take immense pride in alumni successes to share with the rest of the ‘family.’”
Beyond the official posting, there is some maintenance the duo undergoes to ensure the utmost success of the page. Martinez mentions how they “monitor views, likes, comments, shares, and new followers.” Still, according to them, the best metric is when an alumnus reconnects.
Out of the many moments the two have featured on their page, one of their most memorable was the “Call-To-Action” post, created with PPCHS’s Office of Innovative Learning. According to Chaca, they reached over 20,000 views. Another favorite was their reel on the senior T-shirt throwing tradition, which drew the Class of 2003 into the comments to explain how it began and how it has grown.
“Social media moves quickly,” Martinez says. “Sometimes we have to [shift our focus] to get accurate information out while it is still relevant.”
For just the two of them, managing a page like theirs can get difficult quickly. As the Media Department, they also process volunteer hours, maintain A/V (audio/visual) equipment, and serve as liaisons to the Southwest Regional Library.
Chaca says that there’s something more powerful than the page that reunites past, present, and future jaguars: the love one has for the campus. “We have a theory that the PPCHS’ microcosm is similar to an archipelago; we are a connected series of islands that are each doing amazing things, but still all in the name of school pride and advancement.”
As the years go by, both Chaca and Martinez want more interactive pieces like alumni question-and-answer panels, short video interviews, and student-produced spotlights. They’re especially satisfied with “the content on [their] Jaguar Pride accounts and would love to see its reach grow each year to the benefit of our current, future, and forever Jags.”
