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Pictured: Jazmin Sorvala (far right) with her Swartz Creek Shotokan Karate Club

Jazmin Sorvala is a welding para-educator at Genesee Career Institute (GCI), and she has always known she wanted to be a teacher. Her experience assisting with karate instruction helped spark her passion for guiding others, and when she learned about the welding para-educator position at GCI, she knew it was the perfect fit. A graduate of GCI’s welding program, Jazmin also holds an associate degree in welding technology and brings more than a year of industry experience to her role.

Jazmin supports students in both the classroom and welding lab, teaching theory, hands-on techniques, and emphasizing safety and industry standards. “What I enjoy most is working directly with students, helping them build confidence and watching them grow as they prepare for careers in the skilled trades,” she shared.

Currently on track to earn her bachelor’s degree in December 2026, Jazmin aspires to become a welding teacher at GCI. She also plans to pursue a master’s degree and earn her Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) credential to further strengthen her expertise and support her students.

Beyond welding, Jazmin’s dedication and discipline are reflected in her lifelong practice of Shotokan karate, which she began at age six at the Swartz Creek Shotokan Karate Club. A national competitor and recent recipient of her second-degree black belt, Jazmin credits her instructors as mentors who shaped her journey. The principles she learned through karate, including respect, perseverance, self-control, and continual self-improvement, carry into her work as an educator and mentor each day.

We’re proud to have Jazmin as part of the GCI and GISD team. Her passion, commitment, and focus on student growth make her a perfect choice for our Faces of GISD program.