What is your name, department, and position? My Name is Cecilia Serrano. I am in two departments: Mathematics and EL Department. I am a Mathematics teacher.

What schools have you attended leading up to this point? I taught for a year at Richard Edwards Elementary School in CPS, a Dual Language Fine & Performing Arts IB School. I was hired at Niles North in 2012 and I have been here for 11 years now.

What made you decide to be a teacher? I have always loved math, but I initially wanted to major in business administration. I took a business class and did very well but I was not happy, it was just not for me. At the same time, I was a mentor in a program called ENLACE. I was mentoring and tutoring and I liked it. As I mentioned before I loved math, loved helping others and I was good at math, so I decided to switch my major to become a mathematics teacher. 

How long do you plan to teach? I love what I do, I will probably teach until I retire. 

If you didn’t become a math teacher what career path would you have taken instead? If I didn’t become a math teacher I would probably be a lawyer. I am passionate about fighting for what is right and people’s rights. 

What does LANSA stand for and what made you sponsor this club? LANSA stands for Latinx Academic North Student Association. I saw the need for a club here at Niles North where students could find help and support to learn about  Post Secondary Education Options and I decided to start a club where Latinx students could find help and support. Often times our Latinx families do not understand the process and are unfamiliar with the education system. They cannot help nor support their kids navigate the transition into college. When I was in high school, I did not have a clue what college was and the difference between college vs. university, I was clueless about requirements, scholarships, grants, etc. So because of my personal experience and struggles, I decided to create a club to help “someone like me.”  So, in 2019, I invited Ms. Garcia to join me on this journey and together we founded LANSA with a goal in mind: To help and support Latinx students with post-secondary education through workshops, college visits, and scholarships.  

Do you have a special talent or ability that not many people know about? I do not know if it is a talent but I love to upcycle furniture, and I do a very good job. I love the transformation and seeing the before and after. 

What are your hobbies? My hobby is to restore old furniture (upcycle) and interior design.

What is your favorite room in your house and why? My favorite room in my house is the loft. It is open and bright, and I have a great view.

What are your plans for this summer? My plans during the summer are: teaching, traveling and spending time with my kids. I am teaching for the first three weeks of summer school. I will travel to Missouri in July and try to accomplish our family summer bucket list.