Mariela has been a Contra Costa resident her entire life. She is a senior at Liberty High School and is involved in the Latinos Unidos Club, Health Careers Academy, and National Honor Society. Mariela attended Marsh Creek Elementary School and Edna Hill Middle School growing up. After high school, Mariela plans on attending Los Medanos College, where she will complete her prerequisites for Dental Hygienist school. Mariela aspires to become a Dental Hygienist, which has been her lifelong dream career. Mariela chose to work at VCRC due to her childhood experiences, “Growing up, my family only spoke Spanish at home, so I received little assistance with my homework. Due to my understanding of the feeling of being behind in school due to a language barrier, I wanted to become a tutor. At VCRC, no matter where they are from, children can get the same support and education as everyone else, and I want them to know this! There is no need for them to struggle alone.”