Mother and daughter celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

Cedar Hill—Maria Flores is grateful for everything Cedar Hill ISD has done in recent years to emphasize the importance of Hispanic Heritage Month.

“It feels nice to be represented because it wasn’t always like that,” said Flores, the daughter of immigrants who grew up speaking both English and Spanish. “We have started implementing more Hispanic Heritage Month events.”

Flores has worked at Collegiate Prep Elementary for the past decade. She started as a paraprofessional and then became a “Grow Your Own” success story.

“Grow Your Own” is a Cedar Hill ISD Human Resources program where paraprofessionals are encouraged to become classroom teachers while they complete their bachelor’s degree and teacher certification. 

Flores earned her bachelor’s degree in education earlier this year from Indiana Wesleyan University.

The mother of a Collegiate High School graduate and two current CHISD scholars, Flores recently welcomed her oldest child back to the district.

Mariela Flores, who graduated from Collegiate High School in 2020, earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of North Texas-Dallas in just two years through a full scholarship, courtesy of Dallas County Promise.

The younger Flores is now teaching in Waterford Oaks Elementary’s Pre-K 3 Program.

Like her mother, Mariela is bilingual and sometimes speaks Spanish to her Pre-K 3 scholars. Mariela’s also leading WOE’s Hispanic Heritage Month Program.

“It’s interesting being back in the district, because I’m now seeing the behind the scenes of everything,” Mariela said. “I would help my mother when I was in high school. She always had an open-door policy.”

Mariela said colleagues in the district often recognize her because of her strong resemblance to her mother.

Maria Flores hopes to one day become a bilingual instructional coordinator, while Mariela has set her sights on becoming a school counselor.

SOURCE Cedar Hill ISD