Jaquelin Ondar English Teacher, Hialeah High School; Vice Chair, Education Advisory Board Miami Lakes
“I am,” Jaquelin Ondar said. “This will be my 21st year as a teacher going back to school. “This year is a little bit different because my oldest is going into high school. So the nerves are a little bit everywhere right now,” she said.
Jessica Alonso Mendoza 2nd grade Teacher, Bob Graham Education Center; Member, Education Advisory Board Miramar
“I need a few more weeks of summer vacation before going back,” Jessica Alonso Mendoza said. “Summer is too short. We go in August 7th [to set up classrooms, attend teacher work days] so that just leaves us a couple of weeks of vacation left.”
Ana Soto-Gonzalez Teacher, Social Studies and Law Magnet Program, Barbara Goleman Senior High School; Chair, Education Advisory Board Miami Lakes
“Yes I am,” Ana Soto-Gonzalez said. “This year we have a lot of exciting initiatives coming up already. In late September, we’re going to Philadelphia to compete in an international mock trial competition, for the first time. So we’re very excited. We’re going to hit the ground running on the first day of school,” she said.
Alicia Jimenez Former Teacher, West Hialeah Gardens Elementary School; Substitute teacher/tutor; Secretary, Education Advisory Board Miami Lakes
“For me, I’m very excited,” Alicia Jimenez said. “I love the beginning of school. It gets you going. I love reading to the kids, a book called “First Day Jitters,” [by Julie Danneberg] because it talks about a lady that doesn’t want to go to school and at the end, it’s the teacher, ‘cause we don’t know our students. For us, we get a little bit nervous and the students don’t know us. The first couple days are so important,” she said. “It’s restarting. It’s exciting. It’s an exciting time.”
Yaliz Rivera Store Manager, Burlington Miramar
“School [resuming] brings [customers] for us,” Yaliz Rivera said. “This is a high traffic area and we have a high school nearby.”
Linda Trischitta interviewed and photographed our first four Town Topics talkers; Alexandra Herrera interviewed and photographed Yaliz Rivera. We thank you all!