VIDEO DESCRIPTION:

Play, download and edit the free video High School Students Teaching in DPS Classrooms.

TRANSCRIPT:
PARAPROFESSIONAL
"You can draw it right here. Right next to the V."

NARRATOR
Learning takes many shapes at Edison Elementary.

CLARA FIERRO-RAYAS (PARAPROFESSIONAL)
"Are you going to draw a house, a dog…"

NARRATOR
And

(KID SHAKES MARACA)

NARRATOR
it has many sounds!

CLARA
"What else is in there that you can use to make music?"

NARRATOR
Ms. Clara is a paraprofessional. Pushing…

CLARA
"You think you can do it?"

NARRATOR
Encouraging…

CLARA
"I think you can!"

NARRATOR
Teaching.
Something she’s wanted to do, since she was their age.

CLARA
"Like a lot of kids, you know, fantasize about you know... other stuff, you know like being superheroes, being whatever. For me, like it was always like … what would my classroom look like?"
"Here you go, Lita!"

NARRATOR
It’s a feeling she’s always had. That warmth, she got from her teachers, who first inspired her.

CLARA
"I remember my science teacher, Mr. Grady..."

NARRATOR
She first told us about it a few years back as an 8th grader at Skinner Middle School.

CLARA
"Not only do they really push you. They're more than teachers, they're friends here."

NARRATOR
Five years later...

CLARA
"You’re all done buddy! Good job!"

NARRATOR
Ms. Clara’s a full-time para, and full-time student at CU Denver - pursuing child psychology. It’s a path she’s followed intentionally - through career and college programs in Denver Public Schools, like EdConnect.

JOSH NGUYEN / ASSISTANT TEACHER
"Like that! Exactly. Like that."

NARRATOR
EdConnect is a career and technical education pathway where high school students can take education classes while being paid to work as teacher’s assistants in DPS. It gives them a true sense of what goes into teaching, before they ever pursue higher education.

NGUYEN
"If you really wanna make a difference, if you truly want to help the community out, becoming a teacher is the best way."

NARRATOR
The program allows for younger students to interact with educators who share their backgrounds...

VANESSA CONTRERAS-GOMEZ / ASSISTANT TEACHER
"No, there's no W in it!"

NARRATOR
It also helps high school students see themselves as teachers and change makers.

VANESSA
"I’m a person of color. And that helps a lot more with the students because they relate more. And to me that’s important because a lot of my family (didn't) have the opportunities to be able to have someone that relates to who they are."

CLARA
"In your cubby? I like it!"

NARRATOR
And just as she felt in 8th grade

CLARA
"There really isn't a limit to their imagination."
"There you go."

NARRATOR
Clara continues that pursuit, today… for her kids.

CLARA
"They think anything is possible. And I just love that about them."

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