When I was 5 years old, my parents moved me and my younger sister from our home in rural Colorado to the bustling city of Granada, Nicaragua. Not only did we change our environment, house, and community, but we also were faced with a foreign language to learn. The following August, my parents enrolled me in a Nicaraguan school, where, through necessity, I learned to speak, read, and write Spanish fluently, on top of learning other elementary skills like reading, math, history, and social skills. Not only was I left with a valuable skill I use in my day-to-day life at school and at work, but those years were some of my favorites. My name is Reagan Curtis, and I am pursuing elementary education at the University of Colorado Boulder with a Cultural and Linguistic Diversity (CLD) endorsement and a Spanish minor.
At first, the transition to a Nicaragua was overwhelming. Like many first days, I faced the challenge of making friends and meeting new teachers, but I also had to navigate an entirely new language. I remember the importance of one teacher in particular who spoke English and Spanish and took time during breaks to help me understand the language. His patience and encouragement showed me how essential bilingual educators are for students in transition. Over time, I stopped translating in my head and began to understand naturally. I was able to speak fluently, matching the pace of my classmates who had spoken it their entire lives. That moment taught me that learning is not just possible under difficult circumstances, but empowering.
Living in Nicaragua also changed the way I understand culture and community. People there often value connection over material things. My family was welcomed warmly by the community, who embraced us as their own and taught us how to adapt and belong. In school, I saw how powerful education can be when students are genuinely excited to learn. Rather than viewing school as an obligation, my classmates approached it with curiosity and joy, supported by compassionate teachers who nurtured both academic and personal growth.
These experiences shaped my desire to become an educator. I have always been surrounded by exceptional teachers in Nicaragua, in Colorado, in homeschool settings, and in high school, who not only taught content but also modeled kindness, curiosity, and how to be a good person. From a young age, I found myself naturally helping classmates understand material, and by the time I was eight, I already knew I wanted to become a teacher.
I am pursuing elementary education because I believe the early years of education are the most formative. These students are developing not only academic skills but also their identities and sense of the world. I want to help guide them during this critical time, encouraging them to grow into confident individuals. I have gained experience teaching Spanish to second graders, leading Sunday school, serving as a Vacation Bible School leader and camp counselor, and helping classmates throughout my academic life.
As a future educator, I want to serve in rural, underfunded communities like the one I grew up in in Colorado, where there is a large Hispanic population. I hope to create a classroom where all students feel valued, especially English learners who may be experiencing what I once did in reverse. My goal is to provide them with the same sense of acceptance and encouragement that shaped my own journey. Through foreign language education, I hope to bridge cultures, empower students, and help them see learning as something joyful and life changing.
The challenges we face can shape us in unexpected ways. For me, it was my family falling apart that forced me to grow up quickly. My parents' marriage had been strained for years due to financial stress and failed business ventures. As the oldest child, I had to step up to support my younger siblings, even as I struggled with my own emotions. That experience taught me to be independent, and responsible.
It began when my parents attempted to launch several businesses. They started with an OSHA training company, partnering with my grandfather. A lawsuit cost us over $10,000 and ended the business—and our relationship with that side of the family. We sold our home moved to Frederick, beginning eight years of silence between us and my grandfather. They then tried running a cupcake truck, which lasted two years, followed by a wing truck that failed in six months. After that, my dad struggled to keep a job, and my mom began drinking heavily while working long hours. Their constant fighting eventually led to a painful announcement: they were getting divorced. My mom broke the news during a family game night in 2019. My siblings cried, and I remember thinking, How could they do this to us? I spent hours comforting them, pretending it would be okay—even though I wasn’t sure myself.
As their relationship deteriorated, so did our home life. My brother began staying with our aunt to escape the tension, and my sister withdrew to her room. Around the same time, the pandemic hit, and schools went virtual. I had always been a straight-A student, but without the structure of in-person learning and with everything falling apart at home, I quickly went from a 4.2 GPA to failing every class. I felt hopeless and more isolated than ever.
I knew I had to take on more. I began handling chores, mowing lawns for extra income, and cooking dinner since my mom no longer did and my dad didn’t know how. We relied on food banks and food stamps to get by. Despite the stress, I started spending more meaningful time with my siblings. I couldn’t fix my parents’ problems, but I realized I could control how I responded. That mindset shift helped me find stability amidst the chaos.
One of the biggest lessons I learned was how to be emotionally strong. I worked hard to create a better atmosphere for my siblings and slowly started improving my own situation. I reached out to teachers and counselors for help and began pulling my grades back up.
Eventually, things improved. My dad got a job at UPS. My parents, seeing how their conflict impacted us, began working on their relationship. When schools reopened, I returned to earning straight A’s. Having my friends and support system back gave me the strength I needed. Looking back, I see how all of this shaped me into someone who is resilient, focused, and capable of navigating difficulty with grace.
As I look toward college, I carry these lessons with me. I plan to study Business Administration, possibly with a focus on entrepreneurship, management, or human resources. My dream is to find a virtual position after graduation that allows me to live in a quiet mountain town—I love hiking and camping. I’m excited to learn how to leverage technology and lead businesses in digital environments.
This journey was painful, but it made me stronger. It taught me that even in the darkest moments, I can adapt, persevere, and support the people I love. That inner strength will guide me through any future challenges I face.
