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Hear From New Mexico Professionals
Valeria Holloway is confident that her work with children now will have impacts well into the future. “If we just catch them really early,” she said, “we can change the trajectory of a child’s life.”
Valeria runs a home-based child care business in Las Cruces, serving children from infancy through PreK and school-age care. She doesn’t advertise, because she’s never needed to. A steady stream of families always find their way to her door—or her existing families have more babies. Because she often cares for multiple children in the same family, she builds years-long relationships with families, which she said is one of the joys of her work.
“My favorite thing about my job is that, most of my kids I’ve had since they were babies, and now I’ve graduated them and sent them off to kindergarten, and now they’re in first and second and third and fourth grade now, and I just, watching children develop and grow from not talking to talking, not walking to walking, they just warm my heart.”
“This is it, I found
my calling”
Some families find Valeria because of her reputation for supporting children with special needs. In her career she has cared for children who are medically frail, hard of hearing, have autism spectrum disorders and other special care needs. Supporting their development is especially rewarding for her. “This is it, I found my calling,” she said. “That’s what drives me right now, is children with special needs.” On top of her lived experience, Valeria has multiple certificates and degrees in early childhood, and says she never paid tuition for any of them because she has used scholarship programs for early childhood professionals.
Caring for children can be hard work, but Valeria said the rewards of supporting their development will keep her in the profession for years to come. “Just watching children go from, I don’t know, a piece of clay, into this beautiful structure of a child is just amazing, and that is what really keeps me going.”
Valeria Holloway is confident that her work with children now will have impacts well into the future. “If we just catch them really early,” she said, “we can change the trajectory of a child’s life.”
Valeria runs a home-based child care business in Las Cruces, serving children from infancy through PreK and school-age care. She doesn’t advertise, because she’s never needed to. A steady stream of families always find their way to her door—or her existing families have more babies. Because she often cares for multiple children in the same family, she builds years-long relationships with families, which she said is one of the joys of her work.
“My favorite thing about my job is that, most of my kids I’ve had since they were babies, and now I’ve graduated them and sent them off to kindergarten, and now they’re in first and second and third and fourth grade now, and I just, watching children develop and grow from not talking to talking, not walking to walking, they just warm my heart.”
“This is it, I found
my calling”
Some families find Valeria because of her reputation for supporting children with special needs. In her career she has cared for children who are medically frail, hard of hearing, have autism spectrum disorders and other special care needs. Supporting their development is especially rewarding for her. “This is it, I found my calling,” she said. “That’s what drives me right now, is children with special needs.” On top of her lived experience, Valeria has multiple certificates and degrees in early childhood, and says she never paid tuition for any of them because she has used scholarship programs for early childhood professionals.
Caring for children can be hard work, but Valeria said the rewards of supporting their development will keep her in the profession for years to come. “Just watching children go from, I don’t know, a piece of clay, into this beautiful structure of a child is just amazing, and that is what really keeps me going.”
“I knew immediately, ‘Oh, this is exactly where I’m supposed to be.’”
When she was growing up, Mikila Crespin liked coming up with activities and experiments to do with her younger cousins. It was part of her family’s culture, she said, that older siblings and cousins helped out with the younger ones, and she had a knack for doing it well. So when a friend suggested she go to college for early childhood, Mikila was surprised. “It was like, ‘What, you can do that? You can get a degree in that?’”
She soon realized that, yes, you can get a degree in that, and she enrolled at Western New Mexico University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education. She now teaches PreK at Western’s Child Development Center, which she has loved since she first arrived. “I knew immediately, ‘Oh, this is exactly where I’m supposed to be,’” she said.
As a New Mexico PreK teacher with a bachelor’s degree and license, Mikila is eligible for New Mexico’s PreK parity program, which increases her pay. She said the increase helped her cover unexpected expenses last year, and was a “huge blessing.”
The most rewarding part of her work, she said, is helping children learn new skills. And for young children living through COVID-19, there is extra work to do helping them learn social and verbal skills and, in some cases, process trauma and grief.
So Mikila is teaching things like how to be a good friend. She described one boy who came into her class without any social experiences outside his family. “He definitely needs support in speech and communicating, so just seeing him grow from being almost completely nonverbal to knowing a few phrases and mimicking his friends, it really is amazing,” she said.
And when a child learns new skills, it benefits their whole family. Mikila said the relationships she builds with families are another reward of the job. “It’s nice to hear, when families say, ‘Thank you so much for everything that you’ve done, he’s grown so much,’” she said. “It’s just this amazing feeling.”
When she was growing up, Mikila Crespin liked coming up with activities and experiments to do with her younger cousins. It was part of her family’s culture, she said, that older siblings and cousins helped out with the younger ones, and she had a knack for doing it well. So when a friend suggested she go to college for early childhood, Mikila was surprised. “It was like, ‘What, you can do that? You can get a degree in that?’”
She soon realized that, yes, you can get a degree in that, and she enrolled at Western New Mexico University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education. She now teaches PreK at Western’s Child Development Center, which she has loved since she first arrived. “I knew immediately, ‘Oh, this is exactly where I’m supposed to be,’” she said.
As a New Mexico PreK teacher with a bachelor’s degree and license, Mikila is eligible for New Mexico’s PreK parity program, which increases her pay. She said the increase helped her cover unexpected expenses last year, and was a “huge blessing.”
“I knew immediately, ‘Oh, this is exactly where I’m supposed to be.’”
The most rewarding part of her work, she said, is helping children learn new skills. And for young children living through COVID-19, there is extra work to do helping them learn social and verbal skills and, in some cases, process trauma and grief.
So Mikila is teaching things like how to be a good friend. She described one boy who came into her class without any social experiences outside his family. “He definitely needs support in speech and communicating, so just seeing him grow from being almost completely nonverbal to knowing a few phrases and mimicking his friends, it really is amazing,” she said.
And when a child learns new skills, it benefits their whole family. Mikila said the relationships she builds with families are another reward of the job. “It’s nice to hear, when families say, ‘Thank you so much for everything that you’ve done, he’s grown so much,’” she said. “It’s just this amazing feeling.”
Byrickson Henderson does not care whether your house is clean, and he is not there to judge. That’s really important, he said, because parents and caregivers feel judged all the time. As a home visitor, he offers families support, guidance, and his willingness to listen. He is rewarded with lasting relationships and big hugs. “Just the joys of watching families—going into families’ homes, creating that relationship,” he said. “Being embraced by the kids when you walk in, you almost become like a second member of their home.”
Byrickson has been a home visitor for 13 years, and in early childhood for even longer. That means some of the children he’s supported around Shiprock are graduating from high school, and seeing them grow up is a special reward of the job. “Seeing the parents, especially out in the community, being able to give them hugs and ask them how things are going” is very meaningful, he said, even if it does make him feel old.
As a home visitor, Byrickson supports families with new babies or young children. Families have wide-ranging needs, and may want advice about their baby’s sleep or help finding behavioral health resources. “We’re the additional support,” he said. “We’re the additional cheerleader for this family, we’re the additional resource and guide to the resources that they need. It’s amazing when you see those parents excel and push even through the hard times.”
“Their ‘a-ha’ moments are what make me feel good.”
Byrickson is also starting up a Talking Circle for fathers through Northwest New Mexico First Born, where he works. The Talking Circle is new, and is an effort to bring fathers together, create opportunities to talk and listen, and strengthen Navajo fatherhood practices like building traditional cradleboards. Byrickson said resources for fathers can be scarce, and he wants to create a forum for important conversations.
“I would really like to see, myself, a place for fathers where they can come and share their challenges and successes, and a place there they would feel safe,” he said.
Byrickson Henderson does not care whether your house is clean, and he is not there to judge. That’s really important, he said, because parents and caregivers feel judged all the time. As a home visitor, he offers families support, guidance, and his willingness to listen. He is rewarded with lasting relationships and big hugs. “Just the joys of watching families—going into families’ homes, creating that relationship,” he said. “Being embraced by the kids when you walk in, you almost become like a second member of their home.”
Byrickson has been a home visitor for 13 years, and in early childhood for even longer. That means some of the children he’s supported around Shiprock are graduating from high school, and seeing them grow up is a special reward of the job. “Seeing the parents, especially out in the community, being able to give them hugs and ask them how things are going” is very meaningful, he said, even if it does make him feel old.
As a home visitor, Byrickson supports families with new babies or young children. Families have wide-ranging needs, and may want advice about their baby’s sleep or help finding behavioral health resources. “We’re the additional support,” he said. “We’re the additional cheerleader for this family, we’re the additional resource and guide to the resources that they need. It’s amazing when you see those parents excel and push even through the hard times.”
“Their ‘a-ha’ moments are what make me feel good.”
Byrickson is also starting up a Talking Circle for fathers through Northwest New Mexico First Born, where he works. The Talking Circle is new, and is an effort to bring fathers together, create opportunities to talk and listen, and strengthen Navajo fatherhood practices like building traditional cradleboards. Byrickson said resources for fathers can be scarce, and he wants to create a forum for important conversations.
“I would really like to see, myself, a place for fathers where they can come and share their challenges and successes, and a place there they would feel safe,” he said.
“We’re the first teachers that come into children's lives, and I think the foundation starts from us.”
Maria Herrera has taught the young children of Roswell for more than 20 years. She’s worked in child care, Head Start, and now as a PreK teacher at Parkview Early Literacy Center. She chose this career, and earned her bachelor’s degree in early childhood, because she sees the impact of her work. “We’re the first teachers that come into children’s lives, and I think the foundation starts from us,” she said.
Parkview has a focus on serving young children with special needs, alongside children who are developing more typically. Maria adapts her teaching to each child’s needs, ranging from children who need an extra challenge, to one boy she physically supports by placing her hand over his to help with activities like finger painting. Wherever the children start, she helps them learn new skills. And seeing them develop is one of the joys of the job.
“The children that I work with, each one comes with their own need and learning style, and I think I like the fact that I have been able to meet each of their needs,” she said. “Even the tiniest progress that I see or the parents see, the parents saying, ‘Oh my gosh, since he’s been in your classroom he’s talking more, or he’s doing more things on his own.”
Maria also uses her Spanish language skills to support children learning English as a second language. She described one girl she taught years ago, who was primarily Spanish speaking and whose English improved dramatically while she was in Maria’s class. Years later, Maria ran into that girl’s mother in the community.
“She said, ‘You were just the most amazing teacher, you came into her life at the time that she really needed it.’” That girl had since graduated from high school with honors. This story, and others like it, are part of what Maria loves about her job. “Listening to parents when you run into them, how much you helped their child, that’s the reward that you get,” she said.
Maria Herrera has taught the young children of Roswell for more than 20 years. She’s worked in child care, Head Start, and now as a PreK teacher at Parkview Early Literacy Center. She chose this career, and earned her bachelor’s degree in early childhood, because she sees the impact of her work. “We’re the first teachers that come into children’s lives, and I think the foundation starts from us,” she said.
Parkview has a focus on serving young children with special needs, alongside children who are developing more typically. Maria adapts her teaching to each child’s needs, ranging from children who need an extra challenge, to one boy she physically supports by placing her hand over his to help with activities like finger painting. Wherever the children start, she helps them learn new skills. And seeing them develop is one of the joys of the job.
“The children that I work with, each one comes with their own need and learning style, and I think I like the fact that I have been able to meet each of their needs,” she said. “Even the tiniest progress that I see or the parents see, the parents saying, ‘Oh my gosh, since he’s been in your classroom he’s talking more, or he’s doing more things on his own.”
“We’re the first teachers that come into children's lives, and I think the foundation starts from us.”
Maria also uses her Spanish language skills to support children learning English as a second language. She described one girl she taught years ago, who was primarily Spanish speaking and whose English improved dramatically while she was in Maria’s class. Years later, Maria ran into that girl’s mother in the community.
“She said, ‘You were just the most amazing teacher, you came into her life at the time that she really needed it.’” That girl had since graduated from high school with honors. This story, and others like it, are part of what Maria loves about her job. “Listening to parents when you run into them, how much you helped their child, that’s the reward that you get,” she said.
When families have concerns or questions about their child’s growth and progress, Robyn Marton is there to help. As a developmental specialist at the ENMRSH early intervention program, her team helps families with young children reach key milestones. From swallowing to cooing to walking to talking, Robyn and her team help with all of it.
“I love my job because not only do we get to watch the children develop in front of us, we get to help support them throughout,” she said. Although families often first enroll for help with a particular area, Robyn’s team can work with them on other skills, too. And in the first three years of life, there’s a lot of development going on.
“Birth to three, you’re going to hit those big milestones,” Robyn said. “You get the reward of being that person to help that family, support them, and walk that line with them.”
Sometimes walking that line means telling families about routines and exercises that can support their child’s development. Other times, it means navigating public systems so families can get what they need. Robyn recently helped a family get Medicaid approval for a baby-sized walker. Their baby has a club foot and wears a boot nearly all the time, making it hard for her to learn to walk. The walker will help, and Robyn is excited to support the family in using it.
“I love my job because not only do we get to watch the children develop in front of us, we get to help support them throughout.”
Robyn always knew she wanted to work with children, as she grew up helping out in a child care center her mother owned. It was later on, in college, that she found the field of child development and realized it was for her. Robyn said she initially wanted to specialize in speech development, but now loves the variety of working with families on everything from gripping to swallowing.
“If you have that passion with kids and you love working with kids and seeing the joy in their faces—and the challenges—you learn as you go in this job,” she said.
When families have concerns or questions about their child’s growth and progress, Robyn Marton is there to help. As a developmental specialist at the ENMRSH early intervention program, her team helps families with young children reach key milestones. From swallowing to cooing to walking to talking, Robyn and her team help with all of it.
“I love my job because not only do we get to watch the children develop in front of us, we get to help support them throughout,” she said. Although families often first enroll for help with a particular area, Robyn’s team can work with them on other skills, too. And in the first three years of life, there’s a lot of development going on.
“Birth to three, you’re going to hit those big milestones,” Robyn said. “You get the reward of being that person to help that family, support them, and walk that line with them.”
Sometimes walking that line means telling families about routines and exercises that can support their child’s development. Other times, it means navigating public systems so families can get what they need. Robyn recently helped a family get Medicaid approval for a baby-sized walker. Their baby has a club foot and wears a boot nearly all the time, making it hard for her to learn to walk. The walker will help, and Robyn is excited to support the family in using it.
“I love my job because not only do we get to watch the children develop in front of us, we get to help support them throughout.”
Robyn always knew she wanted to work with children, as she grew up helping out in a child care center her mother owned. It was later on, in college, that she found the field of child development and realized it was for her. Robyn said she initially wanted to specialize in speech development, but now loves the variety of working with families on everything from gripping to swallowing.
“If you have that passion with kids and you love working with kids and seeing the joy in their faces—and the challenges—you learn as you go in this job,” she said.
“That’s what I always wanted to do, is come back to my Pueblo and help my youth, the kids. I really like it a lot.”
At the Ohkay Owingeh Head Start, students learn their colors and numbers in both English and Tewa. Stephanie Aguino, who teaches there, said that makes her work especially meaningful. “I think it’s really good for our little ones to start learning it,” she said. “I think it makes a lot of our elders happy to hear it, and it makes me happy to hear it. … You’re kind of introducing them to their culture.”
Stephanie knows enough Tewa to teach vocabulary, and a Tewa language teacher also comes into the classroom regularly for focused language lessons. As part of a recent unit on gardens, children learned the Tewa words for fruits and vegetables. Stephanie said language and cultural education became extra important due to COVID-19, since many cultural traditions and group events were canceled.
“Most of them now, especially with COVID, don’t know our culture and our dances because we haven’t had anything since the pandemic,” she said. “So, it’s a lot of getting them to understand that they are Native, and this is what we normally would be doing.”
Stephanie has always wanted a job that helps the young people in Ohkay Owingeh. She started out working at her Tribe’s Boys and Girls Club, and was especially drawn to teaching younger students. Last year she finished her associate degree in early childhood, and is now taking classes online toward a bachelor’s degree. She said her schooling all connects to her classroom experience, and has strengthened her teaching.
One of Stephanie’s favorite parts of the day is circle time, when the children are all together and are (mostly) paying attention to one activity or lesson. “I enjoy hearing all their responses and seeing them make that connection in their heads,” she said. “You can kind of see it on their face like, ‘Oh, I know that letter.’ I really like when they are able to make those connections. It makes me feel like I’m helping them get to where they need to be in their learning.”
At the Ohkay Owingeh Head Start, students learn their colors and numbers in both English and Tewa. Stephanie Aguino, who teaches there, said that makes her work especially meaningful. “I think it’s really good for our little ones to start learning it,” she said. “I think it makes a lot of our elders happy to hear it, and it makes me happy to hear it. … You’re kind of introducing them to their culture.”
Stephanie knows enough Tewa to teach vocabulary, and a Tewa language teacher also comes into the classroom regularly for focused language lessons. As part of a recent unit on gardens, children learned the Tewa words for fruits and vegetables. Stephanie said language and cultural education became extra important due to COVID-19, since many cultural traditions and group events were canceled.
“Most of them now, especially with COVID, don’t know our culture and our dances because we haven’t had anything since the pandemic,” she said. “So, it’s a lot of getting them to understand that they are Native, and this is what we normally would be doing.”
“That’s what I always wanted to do, is come back to my Pueblo and help my youth, the kids. I really like it a lot.”
Stephanie has always wanted a job that helps the young people in Ohkay Owingeh. She started out working at her Tribe’s Boys and Girls Club, and was especially drawn to teaching younger students. Last year she finished her associate degree in early childhood, and is now taking classes online toward a bachelor’s degree. She said her schooling all connects to her classroom experience, and has strengthened her teaching.
One of Stephanie’s favorite parts of the day is circle time, when the children are all together and are (mostly) paying attention to one activity or lesson. “I enjoy hearing all their responses and seeing them make that connection in their heads,” she said. “You can kind of see it on their face like, ‘Oh, I know that letter.’ I really like when they are able to make those connections. It makes me feel like I’m helping them get to where they need to be in their learning.”
Alex Miller has a degree in astrophysics, and the preschoolers he teaches think that is pretty cool. Alex recalls a time when he told a particular child for the first time that he has a degree in the science of outer space. They were talking about planets and moons, and Alex chimed in that he went to “planetarium school,” for college. The reaction was immediate: “The way their eyes lit up, and just their jaw dropped like, ‘That’s so cool!’”
This enthusiasm is part of what Alex likes about his job teaching at the University of New Mexico Children’s Campus. The kids aren’t just amazed by the possibilities of “planetarium school” and outer space, but by new experiences and discoveries every day. “I just love how in awe of everything kids are,” he said. “Everything is great and amazing when you’re three.”
Alex’s teaching centers on harnessing that enthusiasm, and building learning opportunities around children’s interests. He said he learned that from his mom, who was also an early childhood educator (and who nurtured his early love of space). That can mean building conversations and activities around anything from snakes to transforming robots to LEGOs.
“I just love how imaginative they all are. They just come up and tell me the wildest things.”
LEGOs are a particular hit. Alex has an extensive collection of LEGO figures, and has brought them in occasionally for the children to use. For them, that’s an extremely cool Friday. But for their teachers, it’s a chance to support all kinds of learning.
“Yeah, it’s fun to have LEGOs, but it also does help them develop their fine motor skills, having these tiny little things to put together,” he said. “And since it was this giant group activity, they needed to work on their communication skills with that, so helping them facilitate trading pieces or asking for help finding something.”
And when his latest group of preschoolers graduated, Alex gave them each a personalized goodbye gift: A picture of a LEGO figure he made to look just like each of them.
Alex Miller has a degree in astrophysics, and the preschoolers he teaches think that is pretty cool. Alex recalls a time when he told a particular child for the first time that he has a degree in the science of outer space. They were talking about planets and moons, and Alex chimed in that he went to “planetarium school,” for college. The reaction was immediate: “The way their eyes lit up, and just their jaw dropped like, ‘That’s so cool!’”
This enthusiasm is part of what Alex likes about his job teaching at the University of New Mexico Children’s Campus. The kids aren’t just amazed by the possibilities of “planetarium school” and outer space, but by new experiences and discoveries every day. “I just love how in awe of everything kids are,” he said. “Everything is great and amazing when you’re three.”
Alex’s teaching centers on harnessing that enthusiasm, and building learning opportunities around children’s interests. He said he learned that from his mom, who was also an early childhood educator (and who nurtured his early love of space). That can mean building conversations and activities around anything from snakes to transforming robots to LEGOs.
“I just love how imaginative they all are. They just come up and tell me the wildest things.”
LEGOs are a particular hit. Alex has an extensive collection of LEGO figures, and has brought them in occasionally for the children to use. For them, that’s an extremely cool Friday. But for their teachers, it’s a chance to support all kinds of learning.
“Yeah, it’s fun to have LEGOs, but it also does help them develop their fine motor skills, having these tiny little things to put together,” he said. “And since it was this giant group activity, they needed to work on their communication skills with that, so helping them facilitate trading pieces or asking for help finding something.”
And when his latest group of preschoolers graduated, Alex gave them each a personalized goodbye gift: A picture of a LEGO figure he made to look just like each of them.
"They have to kick me out at the end of my shift. I feel like this is the place that I am going to retire from when I’m old."
Kristie Foreman has been in the early childhood field since practically her own early childhood. Her mom ran a home-based child care when Kristie was young, and she would help out in small ways, even as a 7-year-old. By the time she was a teenager, Kristie was hooked. “I’ve known since I was about 15 that I was going to be in early child care,” she said. “I knew the first time I babysat that I wanted to do it professionally, but I wanted to do more than just watch kids. I wanted to educate them at an early age.”
Now, Kristie does exactly that. She is the lead infant room teacher at East Gate Kids, where she supports the learning and development of children from six weeks to one year old. She has taught most age groups in her career, but the infant room is where she loves to be.
“The infant room is my calling, because I get to see a lot more development in a short period of time,” she said. In that first year, she supports babies from controlling their heads to beginning to walk.
“When you get a 6-week-old baby all the way up until they turn one year old, seeing all those stages and all their accomplishments, you just know that you helped them get there,” she said. And for Kristie, that feeling is more rewarding than her paycheck.
“I’m not in this job for money, I’m in it for the joy I get from it,” she said. But concrete rewards are available, too. Kristie receives early childhood wage supplements from the state, plus scholarships that cover tuition for online classes she’s taking toward a degree in child development.
Kristie is still early in her career, but she has found a job where she can see herself building a life. “They have to kick me out at the end of my shift,” she said. “I feel like this is the place I’m going to retire from when I’m old.”
Kristie Foreman has been in the early childhood field since practically her own early childhood. Her mom ran a home-based child care when Kristie was young, and she would help out in small ways, even as a 7-year-old. By the time she was a teenager, Kristie was hooked. “I’ve known since I was about 15 that I was going to be in early child care,” she said. “I knew the first time I babysat that I wanted to do it professionally, but I wanted to do more than just watch kids. I wanted to educate them at an early age.”
Now, Kristie does exactly that. She is the lead infant room teacher at East Gate Kids, where she supports the learning and development of children from six weeks to one year old. She has taught most age groups in her career, but the infant room is where she loves to be.
“The infant room is my calling, because I get to see a lot more development in a short period of time,” she said. In that first year, she supports babies from controlling their heads to beginning to walk.
"They have to kick me out at the end of my shift. I feel like this is the place that I am going to retire from when I’m old."
“When you get a 6-week-old baby all the way up until they turn one year old, seeing all those stages and all their accomplishments, you just know that you helped them get there,” she said. And for Kristie, that feeling is more rewarding than her paycheck.
“I’m not in this job for money, I’m in it for the joy I get from it,” she said. But concrete rewards are available, too. Kristie receives early childhood wage supplements from the state, plus scholarships that cover tuition for online classes she’s taking toward a degree in child development.
Kristie is still early in her career, but she has found a job where she can see herself building a life. “They have to kick me out at the end of my shift,” she said. “I feel like this is the place I’m going to retire from when I’m old.”
“When I see [kids] reach their outcomes, when they eventually learn to crawl or walk, it motivates me.”
Before moving to Hobbs about four years ago, Jason Coloma had been a physical therapist for school-age children in the Philippines, and for older adults in Alabama. Now, he works with children age birth to three as a provider for the Family Infant Toddler program, and is finding that young children are his favorite kind of client.
“Kids are—you have to be creative when it comes to working with them,” he said. “It has to be in the form of play. For me, being playful, I enjoy making work look like they’re playing.” Jason also has a young son, and said being a dad has sparked his interest in children’s early years and motivates him to support babies and toddlers in their healthy physical development.
Jason mainly works with children and their families on children’s mobility, or their ability to move around and explore the world. This means helping them reach key milestones like walking, crawling, sitting, or rolling. He brings medical expertise to the work, while making sure it’s all fun and games to the little one.
“We try to incorporate therapeutic exercises via play,” he said. “We try to get them to play while they are in different positions to strengthen targeted muscles.” Jason also works with families on strategies they can use all week long to support children’s development between sessions with him. He said he finds it rewarding to see children and families make big progress over time.
“It really motivates me to work more when I see that the kids are improving,” he said. “Since I do evaluations I see kids at the base level when we first see them. Then when I see them reach their outcomes, when they eventually learn to crawl or walk, it motivates me to work more.”
Before moving to Hobbs about four years ago, Jason Coloma had been a physical therapist for school-age children in the Philippines, and for older adults in Alabama. Now, he works with children age birth to three as a provider for the Family Infant Toddler program, and is finding that young children are his favorite kind of client.
“Kids are—you have to be creative when it comes to working with them,” he said. “It has to be in the form of play. For me, being playful, I enjoy making work look like they’re playing.” Jason also has a young son, and said being a dad has sparked his interest in children’s early years and motivates him to support babies and toddlers in their healthy physical development.
Jason mainly works with children and their families on children’s mobility, or their ability to move around and explore the world. This means helping them reach key milestones like walking, crawling, sitting, or rolling. He brings medical expertise to the work, while making sure it’s all fun and games to the little one.
“When I see [kids] reach their outcomes, when they eventually learn to crawl or walk, it motivates me.”
“We try to incorporate therapeutic exercises via play,” he said. “We try to get them to play while they are in different positions to strengthen targeted muscles.” Jason also works with families on strategies they can use all week long to support children’s development between sessions with him. He said he finds it rewarding to see children and families make big progress over time.
“It really motivates me to work more when I see that the kids are improving,” he said. “Since I do evaluations I see kids at the base level when we first see them. Then when I see them reach their outcomes, when they eventually learn to crawl or walk, it motivates me to work more.”
“I want to make that difference, I want to be a part of that difference, and it all starts with the little ones.”
Arlissa Francisco’s journey into early childhood started as a volunteer, then as a part-time janitor, then as an educational assistant, and now, as a PreK lead teacher at To’Hajiilee Community School.
“I take pride in the story,” Arlissa said, noting that she had just finished high school when she started volunteering at the school. Now she is in her ninth year working there, has earned an associate degree in early childhood education, and is working toward a bachelor’s degree in multicultural early childhood education. She earned her degrees while working, with the support of scholarships available to early childhood professionals.
Arlissa chose her career in part because children’s experiences in the early years are essential to their future development. “I never really had the opportunity to come to school at this young of an age,” she said. “I see a lot of potential in a lot of our kids from this community and I want to make that difference, I want to be a part of that difference, and it all starts with the little ones.”
The PreK classroom where Arlissa teaches integrates Navajo language and culture into the students’ day. Children say good morning and introduce themselves in Diné, learn their colors in both English and Diné, and celebrate cultural events with traditional attire and other customs. Arlissa learns the clans of her students’ families, and invites them into the classroom to speak Diné. She said this helps connect the students to their identities. “It’s a big impact for them,” she said, “identifying who they are, where they come from, their household, who their parents are, what their background is.”
Arlissa said the early years of life are the best time to build that identity, and also the best age to teach. “I think that we have the best job,” she said. “It’s a good starting point because you’re starting from the beginning and you get to see, you get to understand children as they continue to grow.”
Arlissa Francisco’s journey into early childhood started as a volunteer, then as a part-time janitor, then as an educational assistant, and now, as a PreK lead teacher at To’Hajiilee Community School.
“I take pride in the story,” Arlissa said, noting that she had just finished high school when she started volunteering at the school. Now she is in her ninth year working there, has earned an associate degree in early childhood education, and is working toward a bachelor’s degree in multicultural early childhood education. She earned her degrees while working, with the support of scholarships available to early childhood professionals.
Arlissa chose her career in part because children’s experiences in the early years are essential to their future development. “I never really had the opportunity to come to school at this young of an age,” she said. “I see a lot of potential in a lot of our kids from this community and I want to make that difference, I want to be a part of that difference, and it all starts with the little ones.”
“I want to make that difference, I want to be a part of that difference, and it all starts with the little ones.”
The PreK classroom where Arlissa teaches integrates Navajo language and culture into the students’ day. Children say good morning and introduce themselves in Diné, learn their colors in both English and Diné, and celebrate cultural events with traditional attire and other customs. Arlissa learns the clans of her students’ families, and invites them into the classroom to speak Diné. She said this helps connect the students to their identities. “It’s a big impact for them,” she said, “identifying who they are, where they come from, their household, who their parents are, what their background is.”
Arlissa said the early years of life are the best time to build that identity, and also the best age to teach. “I think that we have the best job,” she said. “It’s a good starting point because you’re starting from the beginning and you get to see, you get to understand children as they continue to grow.”
“That’s my dream,
to help more kids.”
Norma Gutierrez’s path into the early childhood profession started as a grandmother. After watching her daughter struggle to find high-quality care that worked for her, Norma decided to provide full-time care for her grandson in her home. Now, though, that care has turned into something more.
Norma became a registered home child care provider through the Early Childhood Education and Care Department. That means she can get paid by the state for the care she provides (instead of having to charge families directly) and gets reimbursed for serving healthy food to the kids in her care. It also means families can (and do!) find her business through the New Mexico Child Care Finder. Norma hopes to expand her business over time, and to work toward becoming licensed to care for more children. “That’s my dream, to help more kids,” she said.
She knows the care she provides is making a difference for kids because she can see their growth and progress. The children are speaking more and learning new words, while also thriving in the small care environment she provides. One little boy she cares for used to cry a lot and struggled in a larger child care setting, she said. Now though, he runs to her and gives her a hug when he is being dropped off. That progress shows the importance of her work, for the children and also for their families who know their children are in good hands. Norma said she remembers struggling to find accessible child care when her children were young, and she finds it rewarding to provide that care in her community.
Plus, Norma can’t resist a child’s smile. She said she has sometimes considered leaving the care profession, but then a child will smile at her and she finds herself pulled back to the work. At those times, she said, she knows she’s in the right business. “I say, OK, I know that’s my job, working with kids.”
Norma Gutierrez’s path into the early childhood profession started as a grandmother. After watching her daughter struggle to find high-quality care that worked for her, Norma decided to provide full-time care for her grandson in her home. Now, though, that care has turned into something more.
Norma became a registered home child care provider through the Early Childhood Education and Care Department. That means she can get paid by the state for the care she provides (instead of having to charge families directly) and gets reimbursed for serving healthy food to the kids in her care. It also means families can (and do!) find her business through the New Mexico Child Care Finder. Norma hopes to expand her business over time, and to work toward becoming licensed to care for more children. “That’s my dream, to help more kids,” she said.
“That’s my dream, to help more kids.”
She knows the care she provides is making a difference for kids because she can see their growth and progress. The children are speaking more and learning new words, while also thriving in the small care environment she provides. One little boy she cares for used to cry a lot and struggled in a larger child care setting, she said. Now though, he runs to her and gives her a hug when he is being dropped off. That progress shows the importance of her work, for the children and also for their families who know their children are in good hands. Norma said she remembers struggling to find accessible child care when her children were young, and she finds it rewarding to provide that care in her community.
Plus, Norma can’t resist a child’s smile. She said she has sometimes considered leaving the care profession, but then a child will smile at her and she finds herself pulled back to the work. At those times, she said, she knows she’s in the right business. “I say, OK, I know that’s my job, working with kids.”
“I love that I get to work every day with children who are just going to change the world one day.”
A day at work for Tara Hughes is all about making connections. She helps the children in her PreK classroom make connections between ideas and experiences, and also between each other.
“That’s the heart of it, is the connections that you build in your classroom,” she said. Tara’s work was recognized in a big way when she was named the 2023 New Mexico Teacher of the Year. Tara teaches PreK in an inclusion classroom that includes a mix of children with and without identified special needs.
For Tara, supporting friendships between her students is the most rewarding part of what she does. “For my students, their biggest teachers are their peers. That’s who they learn from. Yeah, they learn from me, but they are learning everything from their peers. They see their peers, their peers motivate them to take turns and be kind and to build, even language, they’re building language to communicate with their peers.”
Tara also values the trust that students’ families place in her. She is sometimes the first person outside the family to care for her students, and she loves earning that trust from families. “When they see their child making peers and having friends and being able to share and take turns and all these skills … that’s something that I love to see, when parents see their children become successful and see that they can do it.”
For all her students, Tara teaches them through play to see themselves as capable of big things.
“Play is our power in early childhood,” Tara said. “So you’ll see architects building huge towers with strong bases, you’ll see scientists using homemade bubble wands to investigate bubbles, you’ll see engineers designing a building first and then constructing it. So one thing we do in the classroom is really see ourselves as an engineer, an architect, a mathematician, a scientist, because if children start seeing themselves in play as those people, they become more empowered to see themselves like that as they grow up and see themselves as leaders.”
A day at work for Tara Hughes is all about making connections. She helps the children in her PreK classroom make connections between ideas and experiences, and also between each other.
“That’s the heart of it, is the connections that you build in your classroom,” she said. Tara’s work was recognized in a big way when she was named the 2023 New Mexico Teacher of the Year. Tara teaches PreK in an inclusion classroom that includes a mix of children with and without identified special needs.
For Tara, supporting friendships between her students is the most rewarding part of what she does. “For my students, their biggest teachers are their peers. That’s who they learn from. Yeah, they learn from me, but they are learning everything from their peers. They see their peers, their peers motivate them to take turns and be kind and to build, even language, they’re building language to communicate with their peers.”
“I love that I get to work every day with children who are just going to change the world one day.”
Tara also values the trust that students’ families place in her. She is sometimes the first person outside the family to care for her students, and she loves earning that trust from families. “When they see their child making peers and having friends and being able to share and take turns and all these skills … that’s something that I love to see, when parents see their children become successful and see that they can do it.”
For all her students, Tara teaches them through play to see themselves as capable of big things.
“Play is our power in early childhood,” Tara said. “So you’ll see architects building huge towers with strong bases, you’ll see scientists using homemade bubble wands to investigate bubbles, you’ll see engineers designing a building first and then constructing it. So one thing we do in the classroom is really see ourselves as an engineer, an architect, a mathematician, a scientist, because if children start seeing themselves in play as those people, they become more empowered to see themselves like that as they grow up and see themselves as leaders.”
“I’m proud of all that we are doing, and we are doing it all together.”
Maria Melendez has been in the early childhood business for about 25 years, and she has never stopped growing. What began with Maria caring for children in her home grew into a larger home-based business with employees and a 5-STAR quality rating. Then she grew some more, becoming the owner of multiple child care centers in the Roswell area. In the process, child care has become something of a family business; Maria’s daughter directs one of the centers she owns, and two of her sisters now work in child care, too.
“It is 25 years; it’s a big story,” she said. Throughout that story, Maria has relied on state-funded scholarships to grow her own knowledge of child development, and also to build a workforce of teachers to work in her centers. New teachers often come to her without a high school diploma or GED, and Maria works with them to enroll first in GED programs and then in college certificate programs in early childhood. These teachers are her best success stories, she said. “All the teachers I hire in, most of them don’t have experience, but I talk with them that they need to grow together with me,” she said. “I tell them, if you want to grow, I can help you. I help all the teachers to grow together with me, getting classes at the college, working right with the kids, doing our best.”
In growing her business, Maria has always kept her focus on quality. After earning a 5-STAR quality rating for her licensed home business, she bought a center that had a 2-STAR rating. That meant starting a process of transforming the center to meet the highest quality requirements, including training her staff and supporting them in processes like developing lesson plans and engaging families. Through this work, she said, her centers are able to provide care that meets the needs of children and families. “I’m proud of all that we are doing,” she said, “and we are doing it all together.”
Maria Melendez has been in the early childhood business for about 25 years, and she has never stopped growing. What began with Maria caring for children in her home grew into a larger home-based business with employees and a 5-STAR quality rating. Then she grew some more, becoming the owner of multiple child care centers in the Roswell area. In the process, child care has become something of a family business; Maria’s daughter directs one of the centers she owns, and two of her sisters now work in child care, too.
“It is 25 years; it’s a big story,” she said. Throughout that story, Maria has relied on state-funded scholarships to grow her own knowledge of child development, and also to build a workforce of teachers to work in her centers. New teachers often come to her without a high school diploma or GED, and Maria works with them to enroll first in GED programs and then in college certificate programs in early childhood. These teachers are her best success stories, she said. “All the teachers I hire in, most of them don’t have experience, but I talk with them that they need to grow together with me,” she said. “I tell them, if you want to grow, I can help you. I help all the teachers to grow together with me, getting classes at the college, working right with the kids, doing our best.”
“I’m proud of all that we are doing, and we are doing it all together.”
In growing her business, Maria has always kept her focus on quality. After earning a 5-STAR quality rating for her licensed home business, she bought a center that had a 2-STAR rating. That meant starting a process of transforming the center to meet the highest quality requirements, including training her staff and supporting them in processes like developing lesson plans and engaging families. Through this work, she said, her centers are able to provide care that meets the needs of children and families. “I’m proud of all that we are doing,” she said, “and we are doing it all together.”
“I really, really like to work with the families, to help the families with whatever they need.”
When Olga Neave knocks on the door to visit a family, the children in the home are often excited to see her. “When they see us, they’re like, ‘Oh, Olga is coming!’ They get all excited,” she said. “They’re excited to work with us, and play with us.”
Olga is a home visitor, which means she supports families with young children from pregnancy through age 5. And although sometimes she is greeted at the door by excited children, she is also sometimes greeted by families who are struggling. “Sometimes I show up on the home visits and there’s things that are going on,” she said. “I can see in the mom’s face, frustration that they don’t have food or they don’t have insurance, or problems with domestic violence or problems with substance abuse. There’s a lot of things that are going on that these families are facing.”
Olga doesn’t shy away from these problems in her work. As a home visitor, she sees herself as well-positioned to help families find and access the services they need to address their challenges. Families accept her help, she said, because they trust her. “Sometimes they don’t have anybody to talk to,” she said. “They just want to talk with another person because sometimes their family is far away or they don’t trust other family members, so they just have us.” Olga said she finds satisfaction in earning that trust and helping families. “It’s very enjoyable to do this kind of job,” she said. “I love what I’m doing.”
Olga likes other things about her job, too. Her program is housed within Luna County, which means she is a county employee with a competitive salary and benefits. She also receives reflective supervision, a practice used throughout New Mexico to help home visitors improve and reflect on their work. This makes her feel supported and replenished, she said, so she can go back out into her community and support the families who need her.
When Olga Neave knocks on the door to visit a family, the children in the home are often excited to see her. “When they see us, they’re like, ‘Oh, Olga is coming!’ They get all excited,” she said. “They’re excited to work with us, and play with us.”
Olga is a home visitor, which means she supports families with young children from pregnancy through age 5. And although sometimes she is greeted at the door by excited children, she is also sometimes greeted by families who are struggling. “Sometimes I show up on the home visits and there’s things that are going on,” she said. “I can see in the mom’s face, frustration that they don’t have food or they don’t have insurance, or problems with domestic violence or problems with substance abuse. There’s a lot of things that are going on that these families are facing.”
“I really, really like to work with the families, to help the families with whatever they need.”
Olga doesn’t shy away from these problems in her work. As a home visitor, she sees herself as well-positioned to help families find and access the services they need to address their challenges. Families accept her help, she said, because they trust her. “Sometimes they don’t have anybody to talk to,” she said. “They just want to talk with another person because sometimes their family is far away or they don’t trust other family members, so they just have us.” Olga said she finds satisfaction in earning that trust and helping families. “It’s very enjoyable to do this kind of job,” she said. “I love what I’m doing.”
Olga likes other things about her job, too. Her program is housed within Luna County, which means she is a county employee with a competitive salary and benefits. She also receives reflective supervision, a practice used throughout New Mexico to help home visitors improve and reflect on their work. This makes her feel supported and replenished, she said, so she can go back out into her community and support the families who need her.
“Witnessing [childrens’] growth and helping shape their understanding of the world is just incredibly rewarding to me.”
For Randy Orona, one of the best things about teaching in a bilingual Early PreK classroom is watching students learn to communicate with each other. Randy teaches his class of 3-year-olds in a 50-50 mix of English and Spanish throughout the day, supporting the students in learning both languages. At the beginning of last year, he said, he had some students in his class who spoke only English and others who spoke only Spanish. Throughout the year, he watched them learn to speak to each other. “It was so beautiful how they were learning the other language and then at the end of the school year they were bilingual,” he said. “They were speaking both languages.”
Many things about his job are beautiful to Randy, who has wanted to be a teacher ever since he was little, looking up to uncles and aunties who were teachers. When Randy immigrated to the United States in 2016, he wanted to teach but was still learning English. He was thrilled to discover that Santa Fe Community College offers early childhood courses in Spanish. Not only that, but there were scholarships available from the Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD) to cover all of his schooling, including books and other expensive supplies like a computer.
With that support, Randy finished his associate degree in 2023 and is now starting on a bachelor’s degree in early childhood. His expenses are still all covered, and he’s been able to pursue his degrees while teaching at the Santa Fe Community College Kids Campus. He’s also received a $1,500 payment from ECECD as recognition for the special value that bilingual early childhood professionals bring to the students and families they serve.
In addition to those supports, Randy finds rewards in his work through the joy of watching children develop. “I love teaching young children because of their curiosity and enthusiasm that they have every single day,” he said. “Witnessing their growth and helping shape their understanding of the world is just incredibly rewarding to me.”
For Randy Orona, one of the best things about teaching in a bilingual Early PreK classroom is watching students learn to communicate with each other. Randy teaches his class of 3-year-olds in a 50-50 mix of English and Spanish throughout the day, supporting the students in learning both languages. At the beginning of last year, he said, he had some students in his class who spoke only English and others who spoke only Spanish. Throughout the year, he watched them learn to speak to each other. “It was so beautiful how they were learning the other language and then at the end of the school year they were bilingual,” he said. “They were speaking both languages.”
Many things about his job are beautiful to Randy, who has wanted to be a teacher ever since he was little, looking up to uncles and aunties who were teachers. When Randy immigrated to the United States in 2016, he wanted to teach but was still learning English. He was thrilled to discover that Santa Fe Community College offers early childhood courses in Spanish. Not only that, but there were scholarships available from the Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD) to cover all of his schooling, including books and other expensive supplies like a computer.
“Witnessing [childrens’] growth and helping shape their understanding of the world is just incredibly rewarding to me.”
With that support, Randy finished his associate degree in 2023 and is now starting on a bachelor’s degree in early childhood. His expenses are still all covered, and he’s been able to pursue his degrees while teaching at the Santa Fe Community College Kids Campus. He’s also received a $1,500 payment from ECECD as recognition for the special value that bilingual early childhood professionals bring to the students and families they serve.
In addition to those supports, Randy finds rewards in his work through the joy of watching children develop. “I love teaching young children because of their curiosity and enthusiasm that they have every single day,” he said. “Witnessing their growth and helping shape their understanding of the world is just incredibly rewarding to me.”
“Tiny sponges is what [babies] are. They are so small but they soak up everything they see and hear and touch.”
When Rebecca Reyes was looking for a job after high school, she already had one valuable job skill: experience caring for young children. Growing up, she had cared for children within her family and at her church, and had even volunteered at Children’s House, the child care center where she now works as an infant room teacher.
Rebecca cares for babies from six weeks to 12 months, and finds rewards in watching the babies get comfortable with her and learn to see her as a trusted caregiver. “I like when the kids, when they feel very comfortable with me,” she said. “I enjoy when I hit that point with the child where … they’ll feel more comfortable if I’m right next to them and then they can regulate how they’re feeling.”
Babies have a lot of feelings to regulate, and Rebecca helps them by establishing clear routines and teaching children ways to communicate and be understood, like sign language. She described a success story with a little girl who was in her class as an infant and cried a lot. That girl is now older, able to talk, and better able to express her feelings appropriately. “I feel good,” Rebecca said. “I feel like I helped her do that because she wanted to scream, but the more we worked with her it was like, she didn’t have to scream to be heard.” Rebecca said she helps children build those communication skills through clear expectations, orderly transitions, and lots of play. And although most of the babies in her room don’t yet speak or walk, they benefit from the structure she provides. “Even though they’re six months to a year, they understand a lot,” she said. “They’re sponges.”
That part, watching the babies soak up new knowledge every day, is a constant source of wonder for Rebecca. “Tiny sponges is what they are,” she said. “They are so small, but they soak up everything they see and hear and touch. It amazes me how their brains start turning once they learn something new.”
When Rebecca Reyes was looking for a job after high school, she already had one valuable job skill: experience caring for young children. Growing up, she had cared for children within her family and at her church, and had even volunteered at Children’s House, the child care center where she now works as an infant room teacher.
Rebecca cares for babies from six weeks to 12 months, and finds rewards in watching the babies get comfortable with her and learn to see her as a trusted caregiver. “I like when the kids, when they feel very comfortable with me,” she said. “I enjoy when I hit that point with the child where … they’ll feel more comfortable if I’m right next to them and then they can regulate how they’re feeling.”
“Tiny sponges is what [babies] are. They are so small but they soak up everything they see and hear and touch.”
Babies have a lot of feelings to regulate, and Rebecca helps them by establishing clear routines and teaching children ways to communicate and be understood, like sign language. She described a success story with a little girl who was in her class as an infant and cried a lot. That girl is now older, able to talk, and better able to express her feelings appropriately. “I feel good,” Rebecca said. “I feel like I helped her do that because she wanted to scream, but the more we worked with her it was like, she didn’t have to scream to be heard.” Rebecca said she helps children build those communication skills through clear expectations, orderly transitions, and lots of play. And although most of the babies in her room don’t yet speak or walk, they benefit from the structure she provides. “Even though they’re six months to a year, they understand a lot,” she said. “They’re sponges.”
That part, watching the babies soak up new knowledge every day, is a constant source of wonder for Rebecca. “Tiny sponges is what they are,” she said. “They are so small, but they soak up everything they see and hear and touch. It amazes me how their brains start turning once they learn something new.”