Dora Maldonado, Parent Volunteer

“Wherever they need me, I go.” Dora Maldonado, Kennedy High School class of ’04, calls herself a parent volunteer, substitute teacher and coach. Her profile is one of several made for Edgewood ISD.

When she was younger, teachers, parents and the PTA did the same for her, and growing up she always said she wanted to do that too. She suggests everybody try it at least once: being hands on, you get to see everything and realize what the kids need more of.

The more parents, teachers, aunts, uncles and other community members get involved, she says, the better kids can function. She sees the kids look forward to activities, and the happier they are, the better their grades and attendance tend to be. “They would wanna get up and go to school.”

She’s always there for her own kids, and for other children too, because “not everybody has that support system.” Even when she may not have time, she makes time, and at the end of the day, she says, it “just makes my heart happy.” Her reason for choosing Edgewood is her own support system: the bond they’ve built over the years with other parents and teachers, helping each other out.

Carlos Javier, pixelreflex MEDIA’s chief creative officer, produced this video under contract with Edgewood ISD and was solely responsible for creating and delivering it.