Meet substitute teacher Evelin Gutierrez!

Q. What is your heritage and what country (or countries) is your family from?
A. Honduras

Q. What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you personally, and why is it important to celebrate it in the PGCPS community?
A. It is a special time of the year that the history and culture of Latin America gets to be under the spotlight that it deserves. It is important to celebrate it in PGCPS not only to show students that people of all backgrounds are accepted and celebrated, but to show the Hispanic students that they have a cultural legacy they need to be proud of.

Q. How has your cultural background and heritage shaped your perspective as a leader in education?
A. My heritage fuels me to teach because some students do not speak or understand English too well but being that I’m bilingual I am able to be that staff member that not only helps them communicate, but helps them work on their assignments and makes them feel understood and represented.

Q. What advice do you have for those interested in pursuing a career in education, especially those from Latino backgrounds?
A. If you think you have a passion for enriching the minds of others, please consider a job in education because not everyone has the drive and soul that is needed to work in this field. But those of us that were born with that passion need to help our community by directly leaving an impact on our students, some of which can feel overlooked because of cultural differences or language barriers.

Q. Can you recommend a book, movie, podcast or other resource that students, parents and educators can explore to learn more about Hispanic heritage and its significance in our society?
A. Anthony Bourdain’s Latin American episodes, the movie Sin Nombre, the music video Latinoamerica by Calle 13, the movie Don’t Let Me Drown or any book highlighting our wars.