Emma
"Honestly, for me, it’s all about the bond. It’s incredible—this past summer, a student I worked with back when I was a paraeducator at Tam High came to visit me at our middle school summer program. He’s in his late 20s now. I’ll never forget Zion; we worked so hard together, and he graduated.
It’s things like that—people remembering you years later and saying, 'Oh my god, Miss Emma!' Those connections keep me going. Now, I have a kindergartner I’m so fond of; he’s just a great kid. I catch myself thinking, 'Should I stay until he graduates fifth grade?' It’s those relationships that keep me here."
"I could be working at the mall or at Trader Joe's—and I’d probably like it—but I just love working with people. I don't know exactly why, but I have this genuine love for working with kids. That’s where I'm supposed to be."