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Marquel, one of our teachers at Leo J. Ryan Child Development Center, knows this well. After years of hard work training to become a dental professional, she finally earned her certificate and secured a high paying job. Still, Marquel felt unfulfilled. “I felt like I needed to do more,” she explained, “I just wasn’t using all of my skills as a dentist. I knew I had more to give.” Marquel received an offer to work as a teacher’s aide with Peninsula Family Service, and she knew in her heart this was a step in the right direction. She decided to leave her healthcare career behind and started a new path.
Your investment in early childhood education not only transforms the lives of children, but also the lives of our passionate teachers. “These kids need our support and we need to support them,” Marquel said. “They’re going to be our future doctors and engineers— they are our future!” Especially given the vast economic disparities inherent to the Bay Area, it is imperative that we invest in a future where every student can flourish. The transition to teaching was not always easy for Marquel. Fortunately, she was able to call on her mother, a retired teacher of over twenty years, for advice. “I really try my best to make a positive environment in the classroom,” Marquel explained, “and it’s just so rewarding to see the kids’ self-esteem improve.”
Your support made it possible for Marquel to fulfill her dream and follow her true calling. When Marquel looks back at her choice to become a teacher, she would not change a thing. “I’m happy that my mom’s love for teaching can live through me,” Marquel said. “This is my passion.”
