Alumni Spotlight – Claudia

Keeping in touch with our Ambassador Teacher Alumni is one of our favorite things—we love hearing about all of the exciting experiences and adventures they have after leaving the program. This month, we caught up with alumna, Claudia, who graduated from the Ambassador Teacher Program last year. Keep reading to learn what Claudia has been up to since returning to her home in Colombia.

Reflecting on her experience teaching in the U.S.

Q: What schools did you teach at and when?
A: I taught at Brogden Primary School in Dudley, North Carolina from 2016 to 2022. During my time there, I was an ESL teacher and worked with students from Pre-K to twelfth grade.

Q: What inspired you to apply to teach in the U.S.?
A: What inspired me most to teach in the U.S. was definitely the opportunity to get new experiences and impact my students. I was also excited to learn about new strategies and ideas that I could then bring back to my school in Colombia.

Q: What did you enjoy most about your time teaching in the U.S.?
A: The best part about being in the U.S. was being able to travel. I also enjoyed meeting new people from around the world.

What life looks like now

Q: Where are you now? Are you living in your home country or elsewhere in the world right now?
A: After completing the program, I moved back to my home country of Colombia.

Q: Are you currently teaching? If not, what else are you doing?
A: I am still working as a teacher—I am a third-grade teacher in a bilingual school.

Q: Do you have any other life updates that you would like to share with us and the Participate Learning network?
A: Currently, I am living in Bogotá with my sister and my two small dogs. I often travel to Santa Marta, a small town, to visit family and friends.

Share 3-5 facts about your time teaching in the U.S. Think about favorite memories, travel experiences, special moments, accomplishments, or other things that happened during your time with the program.

• For three years in a row, I was named the ESL lead teacher in my school.
• I’m an animal lover and during my time in the U.S., I rescued and took care of cats in need.
• I took pottery classes and I was able to make my own pots.
• My mother and sister were able to travel to visit me and we took trips all around the U.S. We traveled to Washington D.C., New York City, Niagara Falls, Denver, and Las Vegas.

Are you a former Participate Learning alumna or alumnus? Visit our Ambassador Teacher Alumni page for resources and to stay connected to other teachers who completed the program through our community of practice.