Motivation Drives University Alumna Lamas to Teach at BECHS
Griselda Lamas, a graduate of UTB and TSC, is in her fifth year of teaching at the Brownsville Early College High School. BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS – OCTOBER 11, 2012 – Though Griselda Lamas said she goes home each day mentally tired from teaching English to ninth grade students at the Brownsville Early College High School, she knows she has made her students use their minds to their fullest.
Her classes involve a combination of writing, comprehension, reading and critical analysis through classical and modern literature.
“The challenge is getting that one child who is motivated to be even more motivated,” said Lamas, 33, of Brownsville.
Lamas and her co-workers helped administrators from The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College and the Brownsville Independent School District celebrate the formal opening of BECHS at a ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 13. The school is at 343 Ringgold Road across from the old Texas National Guard Armory.
The high school began the school year on Monday, Aug. 27 in its new structure after being located since 2008 at the old Clearwater Elementary School on Palm Boulevard.
“Our teachers and students have had tiny classrooms since BECHS came into existence and to have fully equipped, spacious classrooms is such a treat for them,” said Dawn Hall, Principal at BECHS. “It encourages excellence in teaching and promotes pride from our students.”
The students attending BECHS are the first in their families with the potential to attend college. Thirty-four of the high school’s 85 graduates earned associate degrees in May at the university’s spring Commencement with several going on to enroll at the university.
“I love a challenge,” said Lamas. “I have the challenge of multiple personalities in the classroom. They come from different middle schools and have different learning experiences.”
She said she enjoys seeing students gain confidence as the academic year goes on in the classroom but also in school organizations like Drama Club and the National Honor Society.
Ramos grew up in San Benito and graduated in 1997 from San Benito High School.
She enrolled at the university after high school but was unsure what to do with her life. She enrolled in English courses and was surprised when her advisor told her she had enough credit hours to earn a degree in the subject. She received a bachelor’s degree in English from the university in 2002.
Lamas taught English at Brownsville’s Rivera High School for five years before joining the BECHS staff in 2008.
In the future she wants to complete a master’s degree and continue teaching at BECHS.
“I love to teach,” said Lamas. “I love to be hands-on. I love to be involved.”