AuThOr BiOgRaPhY

My name is Erika I. Irizarry. I was born in 1984 at  Mahattan, NY from Puerto Rican parents. I am the sixth child of a group of nine. At the age of 8th my parents decide to move to an island  called Puerto Rico, because of daddy's health. Sadly but true my journey changed when this plane arrived on this island. We moved to a big house in Honduras, Cayey. Then we progressed and moved once again to the city in Cayey.

I completed my elementary studies in the Luis Muñoz Rivera Elementary Public School. My middle studies were done at the Benigno Fernández García Public School. Started motherhood with the birth of my first child during the year of 2001. My goals and my vision of life changed completely.  I completed my high school studies (2002)  Miguel Meléndez Muñoz High School. All of these schools are located in Cayey, PR.

That same year I started as a freshman at the University of Puerto Rico Cayey Campus. The next year I drop because I began to have interest in the Culinary Arts world. In 2003 I worked in Mcdonalds for eight months. Meanwhile I was studing at the Instituto de Banca y Comercio in Caguas in the Culinary Arts program. At the same time I was taking baking classes with the professor Mildred Serrano. I completed my certficate in the year of 2004.  

During 2005, I had birth of my second child and he was the reason I began a relationship with his father that lasted for 5 years. My child suffers of Autism of Kenner. It was a time of lots of changes and learning strategies to get to understand and know my child. As parents we had to continuasly fight against the world for him to receive help. This condition will never be cured, but with our love, patience and lots of therapy he will over come all the obstacles in life.

I worked as a Special Education Assistant of 2 disable students from march 11 to the end of the semester. In May 2009 I graduated from the UPR with a English Elementary Major. Meanwhile I completed my studies I had a job experience as a Community Assistant (Tutor) of a project called CADTeC.  This was a project focus on integrating technology to reinforce skills of Math and Spanish to elementary students. I worked for 3 years. This same year I had the experience to work as a Bilingual Technology Teacher at the Thomas Alva Edison School in Caguas for the academic year. In this same scenario I directed a club called Sweet and Salty Creations Club in which I taught simple recipes to elementary students. 


From August 11, 2010 until present I have been working as a kindergarten bilingual teacher at the Colegio Ki@ny in Caguas. There I have had the opportunity to demonstrate my art abilities. This same year I started my masters in Teaching English as a second language or known as TESL program. 
   

I want to do so much in this life I hope God gives me the intelligence and time to complete it.

 Sincerely, E.Irizarry 

  04/18/11