“I am from Colombia and migrated to the United States in the 1980s, when I played Division I soccer at Long Island University. I did my master’s at Columbia University, and I started my career teaching in the Bronx. I slowly migrated to New Hampshire, where my sister worked. I worked at Pilkington Academy for about five years, then the doors opened for me to start my career at St. Paul’s. So, I have seen every single sector of education from inner-city public-school systems to boarding school systems to rural public-school systems.
I spent nineteen years teaching at St. Paul’s where I was the Spanish language teacher, head varsity coach for boys’ and girls’ soccer, and worked in admissions to increase diversity and inclusivity. St. Paul’s loved me, but they didn’t like me. I can speak the truth. This transparency is something they didn’t want to hear. When you have a voice that’s truthful, you might be afraid of losing your job. I wasn’t. I have my own values, my own education. I decided to make the transition from the boarding school to Lebanon High School, where I can make a difference with a much broader community.
Now I am quite content and happy where I am at LHS. My main role is the department head and subject coordinator of the Foreign Language department. I am also the advisor for diversity and inclusivity and the Spanish Honors Society. So, I wear multiple hats. When I came to LHS it was bare. It needed some loving care, some spark. And I brought that spark. Now we have a language lab, and I brought the AP for Spanish and French. DEI is getting bigger. I feel appreciated in ways different from my experiences in privileged institutions.
My classroom is a safe space for everybody that feels insecure or different. I am the advocate for them to advocate for themselves. I tell them, “You don’t need a massive resume, you need ingredients that make you succeed in your vocation. There is something you will bring to the table that people tap into.” I have always felt I should model my experiences instead of telling people what to do. Younger generations don’t read much, they are narrow minded. They will take a deep dive into their own interests but aren’t globally well-rounded. I do my reading every morning of the international news while I drink my Colombian coffee, then come into the classroom and share some knowledge. I want to inject interest about what is going on around us in the world, outside of our little Upper Valley bubble.
I also run my own soccer school in the summer. Soccer is a sport that is universal and so diversified. Over my thirty years in the business, I have taught more than ten thousand kids. I am incredibly surprised by the number of people I have touched. I have taught kids who now have their children attending my soccer camps. They trust what I do—that I can create in the community. They trust in my norms and manners, trust in my values.
I have learned that as one grows with so many interests in life and passions, they will gain this wisdom as to what works best for them. If you are good at something, I want to help you be great at it. I don’t think about the past or yesterday. I think about the present and what I can do to make a difference.”
– Jorge Pardo, Lebanon, NH
