Teaching at Coral Gables Senior High for 16 years, Ms. Camacho has been nominated for “Teacher of the Year” for her dedication to teaching and fostering school spirit. The English and Speech and Debate teacher has served the school beyond just the classroom as Key Club, Best Buddies and senior class sponsor due to her love for Gables.

There have been several influential figures in Ms. Camacho’s life that inspired her to teach. When she was younger, her mother ran a preschool, which modeled the importance of education throughout her youth. Then, in her junior year of high school, she was further inspired by an English teacher who made her come to appreciate English literature even more. Ms. Camacho went on pursue a degree in English Education at Florida International University and become an English teacher herself.

“It was through literature and learning figurative language that she opened your eyes to the different elements of literature in general. This made me want to read more and become more engaged with literature,” Ms. Camacho said.

Ms. Camacho understands the value of the education she offers her students and teaches accordingly. In her Intensive Reading class, her students closely follow her as she teaches them how to analyze reading passages and techniques for the Florida State Assessment reading test.

Preparation for the FSA is crucial for Cavaliers, as they must pass it to graduate from high school. During and after class, she is more than happy to answer any questions her students have. Ms. Camacho is determined to help her students pass their reading FSA.

“She is a really hard-working teacher. She wants to see us do better in our tests and succeed in her class so we do better in college and overcome our challenges when it comes to reading challenges,” junior Liyenny Castillo said.

“When she teaches she gives us steps, she goes step by step, to help us proceed to the next topic. She gives us all the resources we need to continue our education in reading and is there to help us. She is very energetic and happy with what she’s doing. She gives off positive vibes and motivates us,” junior Jarrod Butler said.

“Every year gets better and better. It means the world to be appreciated and thought about,” Ms. Camacho said.

For Ms. Camcho, Gables is like a family, and she wants what is best for the school. For this reason, she has accepted the challenge of taking on so many sponsor roles. As the senior class sponsor, she is responsible for planning all the senior events such as treat days, pep rallies and prom and ordering class gear to foster school spirit.

In Best Buddies, Ms. Camacho oversees the events and meetings with the students who have intellectual and developmental disabilities and their “buddies,” Cavaliers who befriend and mentor them. She also oversees the Speech and Debate Club meetings as its sponsor and helps organize practices and meetings.

Gables has changed a bit since Ms. Camacho first joined, but she has not once stopped loving it. She expresses how thankful she is for her coworkers, such as Ms. D’alemberte, the senior class co-sponsor with whom she works closely to create an exciting senior experience. Ms. Camacho also details how much she appreciates the students she teaches, and having her hard work recognized.

“I’ve had several students come back to visit. A few years ago, actually, I had one come back, who I had when I first started teaching, who got married and invited me to her wedding and her baby shower. They come back and thank me after graduating for helping them get their diplomas because if they hadn’t passed that test they wouldn’t have graduated,” Ms. Camacho said.

Gables is a school packed with wonderful staff members, but Ms. Camacho is an exceptionally caring teacher and role model to her students who love her dearly.