Haydee Rodriguez
Haydee Rodriguez, a Spanish literature teacher from Central Union High School, drove 104 miles round trip to bring me a quesadilla, steak burrito and a vanilla chai latte. She and her family housed me the last four nights. Haydee speaks three languages fluently and has a range of knowledge that rivals Google. She could live anywhere and do anything. I asked her why she came back to her home town of El Centro, CA to teach high school (where she won teacher of the year last year). She said, "I searched for power most of my life in order to mask my inadequacies; it's in a classroom, the place where I have the honor and privilege of accessing young minds that I have found real power...the kind that makes my soul grow bright and beautiful. Nobody can take this power away from me.
I teach and learn, I love and am loved. My life is complete. I teach in El Centro because I am from here and I chose to return due to an absence of Latina role models, female role models period. I want to be a living message of what is possible, I hope to embody wonder, awe and service and to show my students that someone from Imperial Valley can study at Brown, Stanford and Universidad de Salamanca in Spain, travel the world and enjoy a quesadilla at Camacho's as much as dinner at El Bulli in Barcelona. It's not where you are, its what you make of it."
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
I teach and learn, I love and am loved. My life is complete. I teach in El Centro because I am from here and I chose to return due to an absence of Latina role models, female role models period. I want to be a living message of what is possible, I hope to embody wonder, awe and service and to show my students that someone from Imperial Valley can study at Brown, Stanford and Universidad de Salamanca in Spain, travel the world and enjoy a quesadilla at Camacho's as much as dinner at El Bulli in Barcelona. It's not where you are, its what you make of it."
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Rory and Haydee, thank you for starting my day with such a great reminder about what is important. Although, as a graduate of Kofa High, an El Centro rival, I don't have great memories of Central High - seperated my shoulder there in a football game in 1980 - I do have great admiration for you Haydee, and all the mentors and teachers that are teaching kids to dream. Thank you. ch
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I strongly believe this is just the beginning of what you will bring to our country - you have had an impact on me and I am sure everyone you met to be a better person everyday of our life. You will always be in my heart and a wonderful reminder of what we can do for others. Pat is running through the clouds with his hair blowing in the wind and yelling "Rory you did it and we will do more together".
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