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BIOGRAPHY: Eunice E. Heredia-ColonFeatured

December 1, 2024
20

I was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and currently residing in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I am a wife and mother of 2 (Mateo and Marena) who fill my life with energy with their constant demands. As a family, we love spending time together: building Legos, letting our imaginations fly, playing board games, going for walks, or just enjoying each other’s company.

I am bilingual, with a bachelor’s degree in Special Education, specializing in visual impairments and with a second concentration in art education. Additionally, I have a master’s degree in educational administration and supervision.

I worked for three years in the public schools of Puerto Rico and, since 2013, I have been an elementary special education teacher at MPS. In 2015, being a mother for the first time, I identified a great need in the field of daycare.

That is why, in 2017, I founded Gardner Learning Center, LLC. My mission is to foster the educational and personal development of each child and staff member who is part of our facilities. Our program focuses on meeting the physical, social, and emotional needs of each child, providing them with a quality academic education to facilitate their transition to school.

Seven years later, we remain committed to our vision of serving the early education community. That’s why we are working on opening a new daycare center by 2025. I continue to find immense joy and satisfaction in my daily work, caring for and accompanying children along with their parents.

In addition to being a childcare provider, I am a certified CPR instructor and facilitator of fundamental educational courses for working in daycare centers.

My passion for helping others drives me to support the professional growth of other providers. Since January 2024, I have been collaborating with the Proveedoras Unidas Association, offering training and workshops to empower childcare providers in our community.

My ultimate goal is to contribute to the childcare sector, providing the tools and knowledge necessary to achieve success. I firmly believe that collective growth benefits the children and families we serve.

In my free time, I love to paint, draw, crocheting, embroidery, build with Legos, and write in a journal. I also really enjoy cooking for my family. Food is a way to connect with our Puerto Rican roots and strengthen our family ties.

Contribution by Eunice E. Heredia-Colon, MEd.

in SPOTLIGHT

BIOGRAPHY: Ivelisse De Jesus Cotto

July 1, 2024
175

My name is Ivelisse De Jesus Cotto, I was born on January 6, 1984 in Caguas, Puerto Rico. I am the third daughter of 4 brothers. I was raised by my parents who have currently been married for 46 years.

They instilled good values in me. It was my parents who helped me continue my studies with a lot of sacrifice. In 2002 I began my studies in Preschool Education.

My first beginnings were in 2003 working at a Nereida Alicea Cruz Elementary School in Caguas, Puerto Rico as a special education assistant, being there made me realize that early childhood education has been my passion.

This experience was very enriching for me and the most beautiful. I am a very kind, social and responsible person. In that same year, 2004, I got pregnant with my first-born daughter. Tamayralis Almonte was the one who taught me not to give up and fight for my dreams.

I worked for 15 years in schools and summer camps. In 2020 I emigrated to the United States looking for a better quality of life for my family. When I arrived here in the US, I worked in several factories, but I realized that my true passion was working with children.

My sister worked for many years at a daycare. She was the one who helped me get my first job in a Child Care Center. I stayed there for 3 years. During that time I learned many things and I thank her for the opportunity.

“I AM A TEACHER WITH A VOCATION WHO TEACHES FORM THE HEART”

Ivelisse De Jesus Cotto

In 2021, I resumed my studies at MATC, in 2022, I made the decision to open my own business with the help of my husband, who for me has been the key basis to continue fighting day by day. 2023 was a year of many achievements, I opened the doors of Titis Family Child Care.

The main objective for this daycare is fun. Play is an essential strategy for teaching, this allows the child to participate socially. We like to laugh, play, dance, jump but above all we love to LEARN.

In 2022, my second daughter Milenna Cabrera comes into our lives, completing all the happiness for our lives. I am passionate about children. I believe that they are the future of our generation and from a young age we must instill values in them so that in the future they will become good people.

In our daycare, we welcome children every day with a lot of LOVE so that they feel safe and loved during the day we do tasks for their intellectual, motor and social development. In future plans, I want to open a center so that more children have the opportunity to continue providing a quality service to our community and contribute to change and build a new world by training professionals of the future.

Contribution of: Ivelisse De Jesus Cotto

in SPOTLIGHT

BIOGRAPHY: Estrellita Alaffa

April 21, 2024
283

My name is Estrellita Alaffa, I was born in Tamaulipas, Mexico, on February 19th, 1982. I graduated with a technical degree in business administration, I worked in Mexico as a secretary in a law firm for three years, then I got married and emigrated to the United States in 2003.

I am a mother of four children, two of them have autism and although it has not been easy, my resilience has helped me reinvent myself as a mother and at the same time work wise. In 2012, I took a course to obtain my CNA license in the state of Texas and worked for almost four years in a nursing home, where I put into practice all the ove, patience and empathy that my children taught me as they grew up.

But at the same time, my children’s needs were requiring more and more of my time, so I decided to leave my job and dedicate full time to my children.

In 2018, we emigrated again to the state of Wisconsin, looking for new opportunities and although I was home for several years, I always had the desire to do something else besides that.

So in 2020, I joined the group of health leaders as a volunteer, from the Sixteenth Street Clinic, where I participated as a health promoter and received training in community advocacy. This great experience was a great tool to develop me professionally, because in 2023, i started working with UW-Madison Extension, as a bilingual nutrition educator, and at the end of this same year i was nominated to be part of the board of directors at the Sixteenth Street Clinic and for me it is and honor to be part of this board of directors.

Therefore, every day I strengthen my commitment to my family and my community, my resilience drives me to cultivate myself as an individual, I live to be useful in the lives of the people who know me and I feel the moral commitment to serve and intercede for those voices that are not heard.

Although being a mother of two autistic children has not been easy, since there are many challenges that we face every day, there are also many gratifying moments that we experience every day and that is the most important thing.

What we enjoy the most as a family is doing outdoor activities. I am pleased to see their smiles, their innocence and the unconditional love of each one of my children.

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