My name is Benjamin V. Cervantes. I am a 2018 TFA corps member. I am a resource specialist at Huntington Park High School.

I grew up in the public school system. When I was in high school, I had three teachers that were TFA. They were young, they were really enthusiastic about what they wanted to teach. And I really liked them.

I decided to join Teach For America because it was a place that was focused on inclusion, was focused on diversity, and supported teachers no matter their background. Now, when a student does come with a problem or they confide me, I can share that piece of myself and hopefully make them feel like they're not alone.

I feel the pain through the stories that they share. There are students on my case load that are homeless and don't know where they are going to go home to at the end of the day. I make sure they're the first person that gets the breakfast, that they're able to take a snack home and make sure that they feel supported.

To be a TFA teacher it means that you are there every single day to support your students, regardless of how hard the job can be. You are there to be a constant for your students. One less thing they have to worry about in the morning. And they know their teacher is gonna be there for them when they walk in.