Summer — 2008

Mario Gutierrez

Teaching

“In my childhood experience I didn’t have many good teachers. So I want to contribute something to kids who just never had that much of a chance.”

“I’m feeling real confidence now. Like I can achieve my dreams and accomplish my goal of being a teacher,” says Mario Gutierrez in his second semester at SMC. But he says—pointedly—that in the past, all his goals seemed out of reach. “When I was in high school, I wasn’t a very good student until my senior year, when I started getting into it. But by then it was too late,” he admits. “With my GPA, I wasn’t going to get into any of the Cal States. Then I heard that I could get my first two years of education at SMC, and that the College was just as good—maybe better—than the universities.” What Mario heard about SMC was borne out.

“I’m meeting a lot of wonderful people here from all over the world, and there’s a lot of faculty who really care about us all. And the counselors are a huge help. I had Oscar Galindo for Counseling 20, and he gave me so much good advice about how to do well in college. If it wasn’t for him, I don’t think I’d be doing half as well as I am.” And Mario reports there’s another key ‘ally’ he’s found in his struggle to move forward. “Usually math seemed horrible and evil to me. But Terry Green has made it a positive experience now. And fun! I’m getting over all my fears of it.”

Mario reports, “My family supports me 100 percent, and they’re always there for me. And I think I’m pretty lucky, because I know other people whose families just don’t care about them.” But Mario sees a future where he’ll be that caring ‘family’ for children. “I like seeing people succeed, especially kids. And I like seeing them feel proud of themselves when they solve an equation. I just want to be there to help in their development.”

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