Ms. Mendez-Crespo was inspired by her kindergarten teacher and has aspired to be a teacher ever since. “She was really fun, and I wanted to be just like her,” she said.

She began her teaching career in 2008, working with elementary students for five years in Baltimore City before moving to teach at Steven Forest Elementary School. There, she taught Spanish to young learners through an elementary program, however, the program was terminated, and she transferred to Wilde Lake.

Since, she has been surprised by certain aspects of teaching high school students. “It’s very different, but I like it,” she said.

Despite her original nervousness at suddenly having to work with much older kids, she is still enjoying interactive classes with her students instead of just lecturing, which she had expected she would have to do in order to teach older and mature students.

Ms. Mendez-Crespo is excited to help her students pursue their academic careers through language. “My goal is to get students to the level that they need to be to go on to the next level, or higher,” she said.  “Although this may not be where I expected to teach, I’m going to make sure to care for and teach my students with sincerity.”