Maria Camila Leon Buitrago

I don’t feel like I ever “became” a teacher—I’ve always been one at heart. Growing up in a Latino household and attending an English-speaking school taught me to navigate between two cultures. I often bridged the gap for my parents, translating and modeling bicultural life. At the same time, my parents taught me deeply rooted values like collectivism, generosity, and perseverance. Teaching allows me to honor the models I’ve had in my life while passing on the lessons and love that shaped me.

One of my most memorable teaching experiences was in my first year with a migrant student from El Salvador. Shy and navigating a new culture, he reminded me of my younger self. Halfway through the year, during a class novel study, he volunteered to read aloud and proudly read an English sentence for the first time. At that moment, I saw the seeds begin to grow. It empowered him as a student and reaffirmed my purpose as a teacher.

My father immigrated to the U.S. at 41 and became a citizen at 57. He’s worked tirelessly to support our family but missed out on 16 years of pension and retirement savings. As he nears retirement in two years, his projected retirement income won’t cover his living expenses, leaving him uncertain about his future. As a teacher, I don’t have the means to help as much as I’d like, so I would use the $25,000 to pay off his mortgage and ease his financial worries in retirement.