As an English Learner who arrived in Fontana at the age of 9, I have always believed in the importance of education and the value of being literate in two or more languages. I've been fortunate to have had the opportunity to have experienced a variety of positions in education spanning more than four decades beginning with my first teaching position as a middle school teacher after receiving my teaching credential from UC Riverside. Opportunities that followed were: Title IV Bilingual Director, principal of three different schools, Director of Curriculum, Supervisor of Teaching Education at UC Riverside, and currently school board member in the Jurupa Unified School District. Through the years I have valued the dedication and commitment of all the professionals I have had the pleasure of knowing and their dedication to making a positive difference in the lives of our youth.