Meet Mercer County ESP of the Year Donald Estrada
Throughout his professional life, Donald Estrada, a paraprofessional at Robbinsville High School, has found himself teaching.
Beginning with his career in corporate America, Estrada was a trainer who helped new hires learn the software used in car dealerships. But he always enjoyed working with children. After leaving the auto industry, he began working as a substitute teacher to see if it would be the right career change for him.
“I began substitute teaching, and then the principal asked me to apply for a leave replacement position,” Estrada says. “It was part time, but I was eventually hired full time.”
Estrada was hooked. For the past five years, he has worked in Robbinsville while he and his wife, Faunya, raise their family. His ultimate goal is to become a teacher, but he feels that the experience he’s gained as a paraprofessional has been instrumental in helping him succeed in education.
“As a paraprofessional, I’ve been able to see how the classroom operates and what the expectations are,” Estrada says. “I’ve enjoyed working with the teacher to meet students’ needs.”
Estrada, who ran track in high school as a hurdler, saw an opportunity to work with students on the track team. He started as an assistant coach and became the head coach for Robbinsville in Spring 2024.
“I have a real passion for track and field, and I love to share that with students,” Estrada says. “I’ve been able to help develop some hurdlers to compete at the state level. I love seeing them succeed.”
Another area where Estrada is having a deep impact on students is with the school’s Black Culture Club.
“The Black Culture Club is something that another teacher and I created when we saw a need for our students to explore Black history and culture,” Estrada says. “We hold a festival every February for Black History Month and invite vendors and the community. For the past five years, we’ve taken students to Washington, D.C., to visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture. In 2023, we created a college scholarship for club members. We asked them to write about how Black culture impacted their lives. One student talked about how the club helped him embrace and share his culture. That’s fantastic and was absolutely one of the goals of the club, but we are also helping all of our students. Many non-Black students go on the trips and are eager to learn more.”
Estrada was surprised and honored to be named the 2024-25 Mercer County ESP of the Year.
“I didn’t even know that it was possible to be the county ESP of the Year,” Estrada says. “It is a great honor to be recognized alongside other paraprofessionals and ESPs. It’s had a huge impact on my life. I feel very humbled, but it’s also emotional because sometimes you don’t feel like what you do is recognized or seen. This is a reward for the hard work that we do. I have three daughters, ages 10, 8, and 5. I tease them that their dad is kind of a big deal!”