1. GINA RAMOS
Why did you join Teach For America?
There is a sense of joy and passion I’ve received through teaching that I haven’t discovered anywhere else. When I’m in a classroom, I’m
at my most original self. My mentor is my high school teacher and her children were her students. She put her life into education and she
influenced my life outcomes more than anyone else has. I want to go into education so I can have that influence on even just one person. I
don’t know if that means teaching for the next 20 years or becoming a legal activist in the movement for educational equity. However,
when I came across Teach For America I knew that it was the perfect place to begin applying and expanding my teaching skills and
opportunities. I joined because it’s the outlet that speaks to my passion the most. I plan on dedicating my life to a career aimed at leveling
the playing field in educational attainments among students. I believe that every student in this nation deserves a quality education
regardless of his or her socioeconomic status, ethnicity, or race. I sought an organization that was compatible with my values and goals,
and I found Teach For America. Joining was just one stride I could take towards achieving some amount of educational equity in the
classroom, while at the same time realizing my own passion. If my work is education, then Teach For America is the perfect place where I
can become a transformational leader and a voice of change in the larger community. I’m ready and willing to help fix the social injustices
in our nation, broaden the scope of teaching and education, and redraw the traditional boundaries of schooling and the traditional form of
teaching. As a member of the Teach For America community, the relationships and friendships I build here will impact my career and role
as a teacher for years to come.
What personal values most drive your work?
Hand in hand with the above, my personal values are directly tied to my life goals and are always embedded in everything I do - my
actions, beliefs, judgments, and decisions. Those values include fairness, impartiality, respect, mindfulness, and above all honesty (not
only to others, but also to myself). Being fair to others and attentive to their situations by not engaging in schema-based expectations
creates a healthy and engaging environment where mutual respect and honesty are at the core. Putting these values at the forefront of every
action I take has allowed me to engage in thoughtful and professional interactions with my peers, co-workers, and family.
Which of your accomplishments are you most proud?
I believe that my work as a Peer Educator for the Anti-defamation League (ADL) from 2011-2012 is my most meaningful achievement
because it allowed me to introduce an anti-bias curriculum to my high school community. As a Peer Educator, I received the opportunity
to explore the effects discrimination, anti-Semitism, and hate have had on civil rights issues both internationally and domestically. Apart
from appearing in an ADL video regarding anti-bias education, I also brought a variety of workshops and programs to my high school. For
instance, my school participated in an interactive workshop where students spent the whole day responding to bias expressions through
facilitation and verbal skills. Moreover, I coached students on how to address prejudiced situations by employing effective responses, and
I also facilitated supportive workshops that diminished stereotypes, name-calling, and isolation in social environments. I attribute a lot of
the programs’ success to my high school peers. We were able to accomplish these things together as a community and acquire a greater
understanding of the effects our actions have on others even if they are minute micro-aggressions. By the end of my high school career, I
graduated knowing that I had partaken in the creation of a diverse, yet unified school atmosphere.
What skills and strengths do you most often leverage in your work?
The skills and strengths I harness the most in all my work are my perceptiveness, optimism, flexibility, and most importantly my passion.
I’m always ready and eager to learn from others and gain new perspectives on how to approach my challenges and reach my objectives. I
believe that you can’t be restricted when it comes to teaching (or any job for that matter) because that one strategy which has always
worked for you might not work for you now or in future situations. Sometimes I put in my best effort and still come out short at the end of
the day. I’ve learned that in order to persevere, you can’t let one mishap bring you down. You need to keep trying and keep pushing every
single boundary within you so that you break your barriers and truly discover the meaning of teaching and the potential in students. I can
stumble on a lot of things, but I can also achieve grace in one perfect moment to connect with one student and reach unprecedented
heights of potential. My flexibility and optimism are all I need to keep me going. What I’ve learned is difficult to obtain is consistency
everyday. This is the area where I will grow, adjust, and overcome in the near future as I continue to employ both my values and open-
mindedness in every situation and task. Persistence, joy, and determination will get me through the day and my students will learn that
that’s all they need too.