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* I was born in Chicago.

* My parents were immigrants to the United States...something which influenced my childhood and identity quite a bit.

* I am married and have two children.

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We have native gardens at our home.  We love watching all the butterflies and bees that come to visit.  Our garden is certified as a monarch way station, and we collect caterpillar eggs to raise and release.  This helps improve their odds of survival.

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I love to be out in nature, explore different regions of the United States and travel to other countries.  I haven't been able to do as much of that since having kids, but we usually go camping every year.  Last year we visited a few national parks...which was amazing!

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I taught ESL and Anthropology prior to going into counseling.  Because of my background and experience, racial equity is a major focus for me.

For my entire career, I have sponsored clubs related to multiculturalism and worked with students on activism on social justice and global awareness. At Maine West, I currently sponsor the Voice for the Nameless, a club that focuses on human rights issues around the world and in the United States. We not only discuss awareness of issues, but also focus on advocacy and action.

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MA Linguistics with specialization in ESL

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MA Linguistics with specialization in ESL

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I served as the College and Career Counselor at Maine West for 8 years.  I absolutely love working with students and families on post high school planning.  When a student finds a program or a career path that fits them, I get such joy in their fulfillment.  I would love to help all of my students find their paths in life.

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We love to plant our vegetable garden each summer! This is currently on my mind as I write this entry since we are harvesting peas, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers and more!  This year, the Black Swallowtail butterflies keep laying eggs on our carrots, fennel and parsley.  We've been fostering those, as well.

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Music is part of our lives every day.  We all love to listen to a variety of genres and belt out some tunes.  (My husband is a singer, so he is a pleasure to listen to.)

Need your help:  I am struggling to find good, popular music that is appropriate and fun for kids, so if you have suggestions, I am open to expanding our list of approved music.  We need to expand our palette for current artists.  Do you have some fun suggestions for us?  :)

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I love to read fiction.  For the last few years, I have been reading a lot of children's and young adult literature aloud to my kids.  We are on a fantasy kick.  Of course, we LOVE Harry Potter, but I have been focusing on books with great female protagonists.

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I started out as a teacher and moved to counseling because I thought I could have a positive impact on students' lives in the role of counselor.

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Because who doesn't love food?  I love to bake and cook, but I don't like the clean up.  I have been a vegetarian since I was nine (...which was a very long time ago!).  I became a vegetarian because I didn't want to eat animals, but now I continue due to my environmental activism. I believe this way of life is better for the earth.