Mr Ventura has dedicated 34 years to teaching and 29 of them being at Baldwin. He is a Geography teacher and the founder of the Make A Wish club at Baldwin Senior High School. In June of 2025 he is Retiring and embarking on a new chapter in his life.
Community service plays a vital role in creating positive impacts on individuals and communities. Organizations like Sunrise Day Camp provide children with cancer a chance to experience the joy of summer, make new friends, go on fun trips, and create lasting memories, despite the challenges they face. Mr Ventura has dedicated the past 12 years to making life brighter for these kids through fun and supportive activities; being the Logistics coordinator at this camp. He invites students from the high school to join him in a day in June called the sunrise walk. Students have the opportunity to see how much community service can actually make an impact and bring smiles to many young faces. Similarly, the Polar Bear Plunge at Long Beach demonstrates the power of community service as it brings people together for a great cause and raises awareness and funds for those in need. The Make A Wish Club encourages many students to jump into the freezing ocean water in February to show their support. The annual Long Beach Polar Bear plunge has been active for 21 years, raising hundreds of thousand dollars for Make A Wish.
Mr Ventura being the selfless person that he is says, “Doing community service, you end up feeling better about yourself by helping others.” His inspiration to give back through Sunrise stemmed from a personal experience–his daughter, who had cancer as a child. He states “That place changed her life, and by changing her life, it helped our family,” he said. After retiring, he plans to continue his work with Sunrise Day Camp, travel with his wife to the places they have taught about, and seek a new job where he can continue making a difference. His message to Baldwin High School students is one of kindness and empathy: “I love Baldwin High School, and I love the students here. Everybody’s got something going on, so just be kind to people.” His words remind us that a simple act of kindness can have a lasting impact.
Student Messages:
“I love how silly he is with the students. It really demonstrates a level of comfortability and connection he has with us” ~Samantha Prongay
“He always tries his best to help his current and past students no matter what, he always sets a time for everyone” ~Allison Linhart
“Very down to earth person, understands students” ~Glicel Jacinto
“Its inspiring how much time he dedicates to helping others” ~Isabella Portillo
“He has always been my favorite teacher you can tell how much he cares through his kindness” ~Alex Baez
“Holds a great balance of being a friend, a mentor, and a teacher” ~Chad Henry
Mr. Ventura is loved and appreciated by both students and staff for his kindness, positivity, and dedication. Baldwin will definitely miss him when he retires, but we all wish him the best of luck in whatever comes next. His impact and the positive energy he’s brought to Baldwin will never be forgotten.
