Clements/Parsons Bilingual kindergarten teacher successful in RISE program

By WENDY SLEDD
Cove Leader-Press 

One word to best describe Clements/Parsons Bilingual Kindergarten intern teacher Zuheila Acevedo Babilonia is the word, flexible. Babilonia studied in her native country of Puerto Rico to work as a hairstylist and nail technician. 
“Although this has nothing to do with being a teacher, it sparked my interest in serving and helping people,” Babilonia said.
Marrying a U.S. Army soldier brought her to the United States where she struggled to learn a new culture and new language. 
“This forced me to start from the basics. I started taking a course at the local community college to learn English,” Babilonia said. “Then, I found a part-time job as a cafeteria server. Outside my responsibilities, I also volunteered to translate for the staff and students. It was there that my true vocation awoke, to be a teacher, to try to reach the lives of students, someone who helped them move forward.”
Babilonia decided to pursue her bachelor’s degree in education but another military move to Fort Hood set her goal back again. 
“I had to start again, but I knew that my dream was just starting, and I had to keep going,” Babilonia said. “Wonderfully, another door opened, and I started working with Copperas Cove Independent School District in August 2019. In August 2022 I had the great opportunity to join the R.I.S.E. program.”
CCISD’s Rising Instructors Soaring in Education program creates a fast-track for staff members to apply for teaching internships after they have completed 60 hours of college credit. CCISD pays for the college courses so employees are able to obtain their bachelor’s degrees and teaching certifications. Babilonia had 90 college credits entering the program and was able to have her own classroom this year with the support of a mentor teacher. 
“Some of the biggest challenges as a classroom teacher have been being able to identify each one of my student’s educational needs to provide them with the necessary strategies and tools to achieve their goals and meet my educational and social-emotional goals as well,” Babilonia said. “t is extremely important to provide extra support to those students who need it to be able to academically succeed and develop.”
Babilonia was named the CCISD 2022 Paraprofessional of the Year for her work in the classroom as an aide. She said she appreciates the investment that CCISD has made in her professional future. 
“The R.I.S.E. program has helped me feel more confident that I will have what is required to earn my teaching certification,” Babilonia said. “It has provided me with greats professional training, coaches, and mentors who are guiding me tremendously at all times.”