My K through 12 education, my community was very similar to the community I'm now serving in San Antonio, Texas. Throughout my elementary school and middle school, I didn't think much about college.

It wasn't until I went to high school that... I have three teachers that are very vivid in my memory, Mr. Pallido, Ms. Gault, and Mr. Trajillo. Ms. Gault portrayed the overall Teach For America teacher. She was my biggest influencer. She told me throughout high school that I'm going to be a teacher. I didn't even know I wanted to go to college, but for her and the other teachers I had in high school, it wasn't that you either sink or you float. It was you float, and that's it.

Having that mentality is what led me into the classroom. This is why I wanted to become a teacher. I feel the same for my students. There is no failing, and I brought that with me.