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Carmelo Buenrostro aka Mr. B and the kids at lunchtime.
Carmelo Buenrostro is new this year to John F. Kennedy Elementary School. He got hired on at the school eight months ago. Carmelo, known at the school as Mr. B, works as a Paraprofessional in Mrs. Anderson’s third grade class. He moves around the classroom helping out the kids who need a bit of extra help in things like math and reading. He also helps out with any behavioral problems. Though he is the first to admit, he needs to toughen up when it comes to disciplining the kids. The kids try to take advantage of his soft-hearted nature.
During lunch time the children from his class clamber to talk to him and sit at his table. You can tell he has a very caring nature. Which is not surprising since most of Mr. B past work experience has dealt with human development. In the past, he has worked for a lot of non-profits, dealing with such issues as unemployment, housing, and academics. At one time, he was even a life coach.
Originally from San Jose, California, Mr. B moved to Superior nine months ago. This is his first time living in a small town. He is slowly learning to adjust to small time living. It’s a culture shock for him after coming from such a big, fast paced city, but he says, “The people are awesome. They remind me of the people back home.” It’s not only the slower lifestyle he is getting used to. He was not prepared for the Superior Summer temperatures. He said this summer, “I barely survived.” It was too hot. He tried not to go outside whenever possible.
The most rewarding part of the job is seeing the kids embrace his tutoring. “They are asking questions,” he says, “They are asking if they can stay after school to get tutored.” This job has made him realize he wants to continue on with a career in education. He says, “I’m currently working on my bachelor degree at ASU.” Though he isn’t sure what direction he will go with his degree, he knows it will have something to do with education.
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