From her own childhood experiences to her years in the classroom, Señora Perez has built a legacy of passion, language, and lasting impact at Redwood
By: Brisa Magana
If someone were to ask who Señora Perez was, they would say “a Spanish teacher,” but in reality, she is more than just a Spanish teacher.
Other than Perez being a Spanish teacher at Redwood High School, she is a mom of 2 young adults, she loves nature walks, kayaking, and traveling.
Perez grew up in a family of ten, while both of her parents worked in the agricultural fields picking crops every day.
Perez says, “I saw how hard they worked to just have the basic needs for our large family. My parents instilled the importance of getting an education. So, I worked hard to get through school and pursued a higher education.”
Perez’s past life has affected her and hit her in many ways possible, good and bad, even with all the knockdowns.
Perez says, “Past experiences have shaped me to be who I am. I am thankful for the role that my family has had in my life and for the limitless opportunities that I have had in this beautiful country to better myself and to be part of the shaping of others.”
Her background on how she overcame her challenges in her past to get her place as a Spanish teacher is hectic and it is amazing how she conquered them with the amount of hard work she put in.
Perez says, “College was hard. I worked 3 part-time jobs to get me through my bachelors. I did my undergrad at UC Davis. I at one time shared a 2-bedroom with a loft apartment in order to be able to pay my rent.”
Many human beings don’t know what they want to be when they become older, but Perez had other plans in her book.
Her influences started off with her parents, Perez says, “I was a shy high schooler. Because I was one of the oldest in my family and my parents were very traditional, I did very few things in high school. One we couldn’t afford, and I was needed at home to help out with my siblings and the house, it really pushed me to prove to my parents that their hard work was gonna pay off.”
Having Perez as one of the Spanish teachers makes an impact on the language department besides her being a caring, kind, funny and respectful teacher she says, “I feel privileged to be able to teach my native language and to be part of the Language Department and inspire to develop a curiosity for my students that leads them to engage with Spanish speakers and to learn the culture of the Spanish Speaking world.”
Perez is very much loved and appreciated here at Redwood for the impact she leaves on her students every day. She says, “I love that I get to help students learn new concepts, I build relationships, and most of all I get share the Spanish language with everyone around me.”
Motivation is key to the dream that you have. Just as Perez had hers and proudly accomplished it, doing what she loves the most, leaving others proud and interested in learning others’ daily language.
“Spanish was my first language. I think it’s a beautiful language and that there is great power in being bilingual, so why not empower it more into the world” Perez says.
Brisa Magana
Brisa Magana, '28 has been in Journalism for 2 years now and loves to work in the Arts & Entertainment Section, loves to write about dance and is really dedicated to creating stories. The point is to let others voices be heard while having the most fun.
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