Teachers enter the profession for many reasons. At its core, educators want to make a difference in the lives of their students, and that starts with building and nurturing relationships. Andrea Arevalo first met Vincent Martinez in the halls of Wood Middle School. The two bonded in class, and over the years Arevalo has kept in touch with Vincent and his family.
Vincent is just a few weeks away from graduating from Roosevelt High School and Arevalo couldn’t be more proud. The Class of 2020 watched their senior year get cut short due to the COVID-19 health crisis. Arevalo knows how hard Vincent worked to get to this point, so she decided to “adopt” him and surprise him in his front yard with a basket of goodies.
“I had the privilege of teaching Vincent during his seventh- and eighth-grade year of middle school,” said Arevalo. “In my 20 years in education, I know how powerful building relationships with our students can be. It’s the best investment we can make to let them know how much we care, motivate them and create a lifetime of love for learning.”
Thank you, Andrea and Vincent, for showing us the bond between teacher and student doesn’t end in the classroom.
