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"Pura Vida" – a Costa Rican way of life, embracing peace, simplicity, and harmony. 

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My name is Sherilyn Vasquez. I was named after an actress my father met while living in Los Angeles named Sherilyn Fenn. My close friends and family call me "Cherry". I am only called Sherilyn at school and whenever I get into trouble. My last name is important because it reminds me of key moments and values in my family’s history that have shaped my life and perspective.

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Gatlinburg, TN trip with my closest friends.

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My favorite characteristic is being a friendly person. I enjoy this because I get along with most people I meet. This has helped me have a variety of different friend groups. I enjoy having friends who know they can effectively communicate with me. I believe this makes life feel more enjoyable.

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My grandma's painting is an object that I cherish because it has been a part of our home for many years. All of my family has this painting in their home. She created a big impact on our lives. We have this painting placed in my family's businesses. It has great significance because with her help my family was able to accomplish a successful restaurant business. This painting means a lot to my family and me.

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About two years ago I decided to work out with a personal trainer. She pushed me to do better every day. People from my community and I supported each other throughout our weight loss journey. It was an experience I'll cherish forever. Being there for two years helped me grow a relationship with people who believed in me and were proud of my accomplishments.

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Cultural Discomfort: Living in John's Creek, GA

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Cultural Discomfort: Living in John's Creek, GA

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When I was in my senior year of high school my dad got arrested for driving with no license. We lived about 45 minutes away from his job and decided to move closer. We rented a home in Johns Creek, GA. It was a big change from living in Gwinnett to Forsyth County. The community around me had completely changed. We were not accustomed to living in an area that lacked Hispanic diversity. My family and I sometimes felt uncomfortable shopping at specific places because we felt out of place.

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Covid-19 shifted my perspective on life and made me realize how fleeting it can be. It helped me see that there's more to life than being glued to technology, and it opened my eyes to the way the world came together during challenging times—businesses, families, and countries supporting one another.

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My everyday literacy practices are being on my laptop checking emails, and social media, reading news, and doing homework. As a college student literacy practices are going on all around you. You must constantly be on top of emails and deadlines. I also usually use closed captions when watching movies and tv shows which is also a part of my everyday literacy practices.

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One of my favorite literacy experiences is signing to the songs I love. I truly enjoy being in my car and singing my lungs out while spending time alone. I am the type of person who listens closely to the lyrics of the song versus just the beat. Music comforts me in so many ways.

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I recently read an important book "We Were Liars" by E. Lockhart. This book stood out to me because it made me see how life can change in a split second. This book made me reflect on difficult truths about myself and the world around me.

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Group picture in my Business pathway at Meadowcreek High School

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Luckily, I grew up in a diverse community. From elementary school through high school, I attended a school cluster that was diverse and extremely cultural. This allowed me to experience friendships with people from a variety of cultures. I have had mixed friend groups and have learned a lot from them. I can use that knowledge and those experiences to help me understand my future students.

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Growing up, I only experienced different cultures through my friends at school. It never got deeper than that. Things changed when my cousin married a woman from India, which was the first time anyone in our family had married someone from outside our own culture. This gave our whole family a chance to experience and learn about a culture we hadn’t been familiar with before.

A possible bias I might have is not fully understanding how my students celebrate or interpret certain traditions because I’ve never been deeply exposed to those cultures myself. However, I’m open to learn from each of my students. I want to create an open environment where they can share their cultural backgrounds with the class, allowing everyone to learn about and appreciate the diversity around us.

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I am sweet

I am friendly

I am going to succeed.

I am going to make a difference.

I am capable

I am bright

I am a future educator

I am kind

I am 24 with dreams

I am a listener, a learner, and a friend

I am Sherilyn Vasquez