Passion. The love for teaching can go so far. If it means being the likes of Ms. Rincon, teaching can give you the experience of a lifetime. She has worked with students since the beginning of MACES and her hard work has been appreciated from students all around. Now she is on her way to West Africa because of the Fulbright Award!

   This is big news, but what exactly is Fulbright? “Fulbright is an organization that was established and it is known as, arguably, the biggest cultural exchange in the world so they give a lot of fellowships, a lot of scholarships, and programs where it is meant to offer a grassroots type of diplomacy. It is a renowned organization and it’s sponsored by Congress though the U.S. Department of State,” Ms. Rincon said. Being able to teach abroad is an opportunity that does not come often.

   Ms. Rincon is traveling abroad, but will the flight come out of her pocket? “Every single aspect of this award; I don’t pay for a single thing. I did the 10-week intensive course, which was worthwhile for professional development and then I received my placement,” Ms. Rincon said. Using Ms. Rincon as the prime example, working and earning an education can really pay off.

   Traveling for an award also comes with not seeing students for a while. Does Ms. Rincon worry about their education while she is gone? “My kids are really self-sufficient, and I’m not worried about being gone and them being performance ready. I’m just not. We put in the work. I put in the work to teach them how to run their ensemble, to run their rehearsals, to run their sectionals, and so I know that when I come back, I’m not worried about regression,” Ms. Rincon said.

   Ms. Rincon will be traveling to Ghana in West Africa from March 6-18 this year. That is around 3 school weeks.