Maria Alcaraz

Student

“We had one ‘trouble maker’ in our program who really changed and worked harder. In the end, he was an outstanding student.”

As an SMC Summer Intern, Maria Alcaraz lit the fire of inquiry into science and math for a lot of area kids in the Latino community. “I worked with the Latino Resource Organization in Santa Monica where they’d put together a program to teach kids math and science,” says Maria. “We recruited kids and made studying fun for them. We had groups for algebra and pre-algebra, and there were two tutors for each class,” she continues. “I tutored and helped the teacher, who also gave me lessons to prepare and then teach to the class.”

“The kids that went through this program had a great experience, and I’m going to keep tutoring some of them in math throughout the year,” says Maria. “And all the kids who will be going into seventh grade are going to be able to take pre-algebra as a result of this program.”

Maria plans to become a teacher and to continue with her efforts to interest Latino kids in math. “When I went to high school, I didn’t have a lot of help from my teachers or counselors, so I didn’t go on to college. And that’s what makes me want to go into teaching,” says Maria. “I plan on being a math teacher because I think it’s a really good way to help the community. And I want to transfer to Loyola,” she continues, “because I’ve got a two-year old daughter, and I want to be close to home.”

Maria is currently forming a dance club to give young Latinos an alternative to street life and gangs. And she says that the SMC Summer Intern program is very important to help further the goals of people like herself. “The internship program must be continued,” she says. “It’s going to be beneficial to all students interested in teaching and child development and helping people find something that will make their lives better.”

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