Alumni Spotlight – Rocio

We recently asked alumna, Rocio, to tell us what she has been doing since leaving the program, and to share some of her fondest memories from her time teaching in the United States.

Reflecting on her experience teaching in the U.S.

Q: Where are you originally from?
A: I was originally born in Costa Rica but grew up in Honduras.

Q: Where and what did you teach in the U.S.?
A: I taught at E.E. Miller Elementary School in Cumberland County, N.C. During that time, I helped open the first-ever Participate Learning dual language program and taught various grade levels including Kindergarten, first, and third grades.

Q: What inspired you to apply to teach in the U.S.?
A: The main reason I applied to teach in the U.S. was that I wanted to grow professionally and challenge myself.

Q: What did you enjoy most about your time teaching in the U.S.?
A: Seeing my students learn Spanish and discuss aspects of my culture was thrilling! I also enjoyed the connections I made with other Ambassador Teachers.

What life looks like now

Q: Where are you living now and what are you doing there?
A: Currently, I am living in Durham, N.C., and am working with the Participate Learning Teacher Resources supporting teachers as a Senior Instructional Specialist.

Q: Do you have any other life updates that you would like to share with us and the Participate Learning network?
A: I married Durham native, Reggie, and we have three kids—two boys and one girl. This year, my two younger ones start “big” school (PreK and Kindergarten).

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.

• One of my favorite trips was with other Ambassador Teachers to visit all seven lighthouses in the Outer Banks.
• I was named Teacher of the Year in 2009 at E.E. Miller Elementary School.
• During summer break one year, I drove from Arizona to California to Las Vegas with some friends. We didn’t realize how much gas you use when driving through the hot desert. We ended up almost running out of gas and found an old gas station (like in the western movies) and had to fill up our tank with very pricey gas.

Interested in learning more about Rocio and other members of the Participate Learning Alumni family? Check out all of our Ambassador Alumni Updates here!