Maywood teacher, Heber Marquez, remembers back in March, when his students were celebrating in the school halls. “No school for two weeks!” they shouted. Months later, while learning at home, Heber’s students have changed their tones.
Heber anticipated that students would miss their friends and extracurricular activities, but he was surprised to learn that the students actually missed learning. “It warms my heart to hear them say, ‘I miss school so much, and now I understand the value of education,’” he said.
Heber, who also serves on the Maywood City Council, considers himself an optimist. Although COVID-19 has brought tragedy, there’s a silver lining for his students. “They’ve been able to find the value of education. They’ve been able to find the value of a school community,” he stressed. The education system is rapidly evolving, but Heber has hope that he can encourage his students’ newfound appreciation for school.
In this edition of the R-Guide, I want to talk about educators in our community that are continuing to teach and inspire during COVID-19. The R-Guide also includes resources for at-home learning and college applications, including financial aid information.
To hear more of Heber Marquez’s story in the award-winning short video series “SELA Strong”, head to selastrong.com
SELA STRONG CREW: Danny Gamboa, Daniella Segura, Xitlalic Guigoza, Elizabeth Uribe, Jimmy Aguiniga