Coach Ramirez

As a Pre-teen, Teenager and Young Adult I was rebellious and struggled with my life, academic and career purpose.  

As a Pre-teen I acted out at school, got in trouble for not doing my work, bullied students, disrespected my teachers, was a clown and disruptive in class, you get the idea (I was that kid, teachers couldn’t “handle” in class).

As a Teenager, I acted out on my siblings, disobeyed my parents, my freshman year in high school I started hanging out with the wrong crowd. I started ditching school and rebelled in every way possible. One night, I told my parents I was going with friends and didn't come home; I stayed out partying and crashed out at the house party.  When I got home, the next morning my mom was on the phone with my uncle who lived in Guadalajara, Mexico. My entire family was in the living room, I can still see the looks on their faces as I walked in - relieved I was alive and home safe. This was the last straw for my family in my rebellion. That conversation with my uncle led me to be "sent away" to Mexico. I needed a wake up call and to be uprooted from the negative influences around me. I know this was a very hard decision for my mom; I was 15 at the time, but she felt this was her only hope in giving me the outside perspective I needed and uprooting me from the outside negative influences surrounding me.

I stayed with my uncle, aunt and 3 cousins in Guadalajara, Mexico for several months.  This experience shifted my perspective in more ways that I could have ever even known at 15. You don't know what you don't know. My mom knew, the adults around me knew, but the teenage me, had no clue. I was better than what my actions were. That experience shifted my journey into a direction that aligned me more closely to getting to know my own self.

When I came back, I was naturally behind in school work, so I ended up going to a Charter High School. That in itself was an entirely different experience; but I ended up graduating and finishing a year behind my original graduation date. I didn't get the traditional highschool experience but what I did get was a lesson in resilience and perspective. This provided me with the foundation to start setting my own goals and next steps. I think back and I was like my own Youth Coach, providing myself with those powerful questions, space and time to arise at my own answers.

As a Young Adult, I enrolled in Community College and started working full-time. This journey was also a cross-roads of confusion, uncertainty, lack of confidence and fear. I had overcome teenage years, although I was learning how to grow into a path of responsibility, purpose and passion as a young adult. Through many instances of failing forward, picking myself back up, learning, growing and developing my inner strength and wisdom; I eventually came to a place (20 plus years later!) where I am comfortable in my skin, love, respect and trust myself.

My why for what I do is that I can relate to others who don't know what they don't know yet.  It wasn't until later in my journey that I connected with people who empowered and provided space for me to talk through my thoughts and actions; and eventually unfold the answers to move forward.

Every one of my Youth, in School, in Career and Finding My Purpose experiences have led me to this very point in my life. I am where I need to be and am drawn to connect others to where they are to be. 

• Associate Degree in Paralegal Studies
• Bachelor Degree in Pre Law
• Master Degree in Education
• Certified Youth Resilience Coach
• Certified 200 RYT Yoga Instructor
• I worked in the legal field for 9 years; I was a full-time student and worked full-time in order to receive my Bachelor's degree. My next steps were applying to law school.
• When that next step didn't go as planned. I cre8ted another next step  based on my own passions and interests. I then went back to school in order to receive my Masters in education and become a certified teacher.
• Currently, I work in a public school as a Mind, Body, Movment Special Areas Teacher. Over the past ten years as an educator, I have been a third grade classroom teacher, middle school science & math teacher, K-8 Special Areas technology teacher, technology coordinator and K-8 Special Areas STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) teacher and Instructional Coach supporting Teachers.
• Through all of these experiences my favorite part is being able to interact with students, shed some light and spark cre8tivity their way!