Agustina Medrano is in the classroom so much she feels right at home there. For the past 15 years, she has been a parent volunteer in Houston public schools, not only helping individual students feel an extra measure of care but also creating strong connections among other volunteer parents, teachers and staff working together to create a community of support.
“It feels empowering” to be welcomed as a volunteer, says Medrano, who is the mother of two and a member of the large Spanish-speaking community in North Houston. She knows how much her presence can help students who feel more comfortable in class with a mamá from their neighborhood nearby. And the older ones appreciate a friend who can share things like field trips and special class projects with them.
Vanesa and Medrano want to say “gracias por su tiempo” and ”thank you for your patience” to the many teachers who have made a difference in their lives.
Medrano’s daughter, Vanesa, who graduated from high school two years ago, was so appreciative of her mother’s participation at school — and of her support in general — that when her high school teacher assigned students a talk about someone they most looked up to, she chose her mother. Vanesa laughs now, remembering her classmates choosing celebrities and no one else mentioning their parents.
Teachers, too, appreciate Medrano’s help, and she is grateful for the heartfelt welcome they’ve extended to her. Her years of volunteering have given her a special understanding of the hard work they do every day, juggling crowded classrooms and still connecting with their students in meaningful ways. Vanesa had so many teachers who would “go the extra mile” to help her, she says it’s hard to name just one. Her mother laughs as she tries, naming nearly a dozen educators who have helped keep her family connected and thriving. One teacher often stayed after school, helping Vanesa as well as other students with math. Another tutored Vanesa for college algebra — and now, she is attending Houston Community College.
The same is true for Medrano’s son, Victor. When the pandemic prevented in-person learning, teachers made sure he had everything he needed to get his work done, even as they strained to adjust their curriculum to remote learning. Later, one of his teachers encouraged him to write poetry, coaxing him out of his usual timidity and allowing him to discover a passion he didn’t know he had.
Medrano feels so connected to this school that she decided to reach out to English-speaking teachers and help them learn Spanish. Now, she and Vanesa, with assistance from the school’s Spanish teacher, run an after-school Spanish class. The effort is knitting together parents, teachers and students even further.
This Teacher Appreciation Week, Vanesa and Medrano want to say “gracias por su tiempo” and ”thank you for your patience” to the many teachers who have made a difference in their lives. “As a student, I see a lot of moments when teachers do have their breaking points,” says Vanesa. “But they push through to be really good teachers for students to learn and grow.”
Republished with permission from AFT Voices.
About the Medranos
Agustina Medrano has been a parent volunteer in Houston public schools for 15 years. Vanesa Medrano graduated from Northside High School in 2020 and is now enrolled at Houston Community College. Following her mother’s example of volunteerism, she won the Dorothy Richardson award for her work with young students in the community.
The AFT was formed by teachers more than 100 years ago and is now a 1.8 million-member union of professionals that champions fairness; democracy; economic opportunity; and high-quality public education, healthcare and public services for our students, their families and our communities. We are... See More
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