 Carissa is unapologetically herself. I think she just cares deeply about people. It was always an excitement to be able to sit in this class. It was just a fun loving environment. The people that we meet and the people that we get to know, they're family to us. Because you are family, you get the discipline and toughness and you also get the love and the caring and kindness and joy too. The bracelet says, yo soy porque somos, which means I am because we are. I'm a teacher because we're here together and because I want to help you learn and grow. Grown is an explosion of color. When I first walked in there last year, I was like, wow, that's a lot of stuff. For me, it was almost a heartfelt moment because it was the first time I felt culture in this school system. You just want to hang out there because it's so comforting. The room and the environment that we create, all of those are a way to both immerse students in the culture but also to build that community so that we feel comfortable and we feel like we can try new things and we can try out our language. For the Day of the Dead, we had to make shoeboxes with some family member in the family that had passed away. We're looking for inspiration, police feel free, to get up and look at my large altar, to get up and look at my shoebox altar. Day of the Dead is this happy, celebratory fiesta. I just love doing this project. It's shocking but it's also beautiful at the same time. Read a fun one but listen up. Carissa's teaching style is so very open and very communicative. Everything that comes out of her mouth oozes passion. It oozes excitement, enthusiasm. Probably the best thing she does is build a community in her classroom and build a community of learners. She's bringing the world to these kids and allowing them to explore it in a sensory way, a multicultural way. She is so dedicated to ensuring that all of her students grow and learn to become lifelong learners and understand where they fit in today's society. I think that everybody has something to contribute and whatever that is, I think you need to do it to the fullest. I believe I was born to be a teacher. I cannot imagine myself doing anything else. And yeah, I love that. That makes me happy. It makes me feel fulfilled.