Olancho Aid Spotlight: Susan Cáceres
Age: 25
Hometown: Juticalpa, Olancho, Honduras
University: Universidad Pedagógica Nacional Francisco Morazán (UPNFM)
When did you begin working with the Olancho Aid Foundation?
I started working with OAF in 2015 as a Spanish teacher for the preschool program at Centro Escolar Bilingue Santa Clara (CEBSC, our bilingual elementary school).
How did you find about the Olancho Aid Foundation?
Many years ago because my little brother and some cousins were enrolled at CEBSC. Seeing the quality of work at that time was a motivation for me to become a part of the Foundation. I went to Tegucigalpa for four years to study at UPNFM where I received a Bachelor’s Degree in Preschool Education. After graduating, I came back to Juticalpa and submitted my resume to OAF, and I was so happy when I received a call to interview with the Foundation. After speaking with the person in charge, I was chosen a Kindergarten teacher. It has been a blessing for me and I’m so thankful to God for allowing me to be part of the Santa Clara family.
What is your role at Olancho Aid?
I’m a teacher at CEBSC. I’m in charge of Spanish classes for both sections of preschool and all three sections of Kindergarten. For almost three years I’ve had the opportunity to work in preschool with the goal of educating each child doing different activities so that the students learn best. I always practice a constructivist method, using fun, dancing, and singing, and I always work on building a good relationship with my students.
How has your role at Olancho Aid changed?
So many things have changed during my years of service, especially the way of teaching in the classroom. Every year I realize the importance of an education based on significant learning and to achieve it I have to keep improving my strategies. It has also changed my way of thinking and acting toward the students; I want to be a teacher who positively influences the lives of her students and for them to grow up remembering the values they’ve learned in class and be strengthened as good men and women.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
What I like most about my job, and I can say this with certainty, is being with the children. God has placed in me this vocation to spend my time serving Him through the children and I thank Him for this opportunity. Working with children is something special and indescribable, everyday the little ones fill me with joy, laughter, hugs, but above all, seeing daily progress in their learning makes me feel proud of my work and responsible and committed to the innovation of new activities for my students.
Do you have a favorite memory of your time with Olancho Aid?
Everyday is a memory and I wouldn’t be able to write them all. I have a special relationship with my students, but my favorite memory is from my first year of work. For one student, I was like a mother. She always waited for me to eat and told me everything. The girl is now in first grade and I still care for her a lot. I also remember that in 2016 I was blessed to be chosen as Teacher of the Year in preschool. Later during that same year, I was also awarded Teacher of the Month twice. So many memories! But my favorite is each hug from a student, a “Miss, I love you!” or “I missed you!”
How would you describe your students?
I would describe them as happy, full of life, clever, and above all they are intelligent, respectful, attentive kids; they have been learning and developing but they’re also so full of love.
Share a fun fact about yourself.
I like to dance and play soccer. I really enjoy going to the stadium to support Juticalpa FC. I’m also a happy, God-fearing person. I like to be with friends and meet new people. It’s also a pleasure to have time with my family and visit new places. I really enjoy helping others.