Congratulations to Christopher Guevara who recently received a scholarship award from CABE. Christopher is currently pursuing his Education Specialist Credential with a Bilingual Authorization. Christopher’s journey into credential program comes after three years of being a tutor, paraeducator, and substitute teacher. These experiences have been incredible factors in his decision to pursue his teaching credential. One critical point Christopher has learned is the importance of the connection between the teacher, student, and family. This is something he finds to be a challenge to achieve in his community because of language and cultural differences. Being born, raised, and educated in the community he hopes to teach in, Christopher is highly inspired and motivated to take on the challenge of mending his community together, no matter differences, and bridging the gap between schools and families.
Receiving the CABE scholarship serves as an extra push to continue pursuing a career as a competent bilingual educator and further emphasizes the importance of being culturally and linguistically diverse. As a special education educator in the classroom, Christopher commits to creating a safe atmosphere of acceptance, understanding and inclusion, and one where equity is promoted. Outside the classroom, he commits to bridging the gap between school and home and focusing on including the group of individuals who play the most important part in a student’s education: the family. As a bilingual educator, Christopher is further committed to learning about, appreciating, and celebrating all components that make up a culture. This defines the importance of bilingual education: not only for linguistic diversity, but for cultural competence as well.
CABE is a non-profit organization promoting bilingual education and quality educational experiences for all students, with chapters and regions all over California, including the Ventura County chapter. Both state-wide and local CABE chapters recognize and honor California’s rich multicultural, racial, and linguistic backgrounds of all students with a mission to support biliteracy, multicultural competence, and educational equity.
Congratulations Christopher!