Today we’d like to introduce you to Myrna Núñez.
Myrna, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
In 2002, I obtained my Bachelor Degree in Elementary Education in Mexico. Even before I graduated from college my dream was to open my own school. I always contemplated the possibility to open my school in my hometown, however in 2004 I was presented with the opportunity to come to the USA. My parents sent me to a program at Harvard Extension School for an ESL intensive program that would last three months.
My father advised me that if I learn English very well, I can go back to Mexico and open an English Immersion Program in my hometown with his support. That goal was very ambitious and I was greatly challenge because at that time I was not able to communicate not even at a basic level.
I accepted the challenge and came to the USA in January 2004; I was exposed to the English language for the first time and also experienced the coldest weather I ever imagine.
Since day one at school I was determined to learn English, while my roommates were exploring the city and night life, I was concentrated in homework and stayed up until 1 or 3 am every day translating literally word by word to make sense of the English language.
The three months ended very quickly! And was afraid to tell my parents that I was not ready to go back to Mexico because I still needed to learn the language. I have to say that for them to hear this, was not easy; my father suggested I go back to Mexico, he said that is important to be close to family until I get married as this is part of Mexican culture.
Since I decided to stay longer I did not receive any monetary support from them; for this reason, I needed to start working, I started working as a cashier in a Mexican Restaurant where with my limited English I was able to perform my job. I was very happy to work here and save money to pay for my living and expenses. I enrolled in many other English courses, but to work as a nanny of a wonderful family really helped me to be immersed not only in the English language but also in the American culture! The Halper’s Family change my life! Their children taught me new English words and I taught them Spanish all day long in a natural way! I traveled with them everywhere and they made me feel as part of their family!
After a year my parents came to visit me here and see the life in USA. We traveled together and they met my boyfriend that I was in love and now is my husband and father of my two beautiful children.
Before Teo was my boyfriend and husband he was my best friend and spent countless hours patiently helping me to practice English.
After a year in USA learning English, working, traveling to the surrounding areas, after making new friends from different countries, after my parents visited me and enjoying the city of Boston I was ready to embark in achieving my dream of opening my school in my hometown!
I felt that my vocation as an educator was calling me, I booked my flight to go back to Mexico, I was feeling more than grateful for such a wonderful experience and meeting wonderful people. I didn’t know that my journey was about to begin when Teo asked me to married him, he gave the most beautiful engagement ring two weeks before I flew to Mexico. He flew with me and asked my parents for my hand to get married!!
Of course I said yes! I stayed in Mexico for a month enjoying my family and my culture, then went back to Boston and continued living with my roommates to plan the wedding during a whole year. We got married in 2006, we are parents of two beautiful and healthy children. As a mother of my first child and staying home mom for a whole year, my desire to continue with my career and to pursuit my dreams as an educator and to one day be able to open my school was even greater! But now as a Spanish Immersion Program! I worked in a Spanish Immersion Preschool in Boston as a teacher for almost two years, then I became the school director for almost 5 years.
I loved my job, I learned a lot and this experience enhanced my knowledge as an educator; however when my son started kindergarten it was very hard to drive all the way to the city and spend more time with my family as I desired. It was a very tough decision to resign my position as a Director at my job. I looked for a job close to home, however nothing seems as exciting as my previous job. My motivation to continue my dreams was still alive and for this reason I started looking for the prefect place close home to open my own preschool.
I found a space for the school and asked my husband for his support, he did not hesitate and he said to me that it made the most sense to go forward with the plan. I worked very hard pursuing the license from the Department of Education to open as a Spanish immersion preschool in Swampscott, after three months of countless hours of work and with my husband’s support we were able to obtain the license to operate as a preschool in November 2013.
We opened the school with myself working as the main teacher and my mother in law as an assistant teacher; her experience made everything easier as she already worked for many years in a preschool. We are eternally grateful for her unconditional and enthusiastic support to New Sunrise Preschool.
Also we are so grateful to my sister who designed our beautiful logo with her expertise in marketing as her career in Mexico.
We are grateful to our family who was always present and for their support during this process. NSP started in 2013 with 3 children enrolled. We are the pioneers of the North Shore area with a Spanish Immersion Program.
We have been blessed that our enrollment has significantly grown month by month since day one of our opening. Word of mouth is being a powerful marketing. The children that are enrolled in our program are due to references of current enroll families.
Our waiting list grew out of the sudden in less than a year since we started. This forced us in 2014 to add one more classroom. After another year, in 2015 we added the third classroom. As we have seen our waiting list continue to grow, and not having more room to expand at the current location we have decided to open our second location in the same town. Now we are happy that the opening of our second location also was a success and we obtained our License from the department of education (last week) in August 2017 to operate as a preschool with a 3 new classrooms!! We contacted all families on waiting list and now very few spots still available.
We are very happy to be able to provide our local community with the opportunity for their children to learn a second language. We feel eternally grateful to all our loyal families for being part of NSP community!!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has been a smooth process for us, NSP has grown according to the need of the community and we feel that everything has fit into place accordingly and at the right time. We feel blessed!
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the New Sunrise Preschool story. Tell us more about the business.
Our staff welcomes you and your children to our Spanish Immersion Program. Our preschool is the ONLY preschool in the North Shore Area with a Spanish Immersion Program. NSP philosophy is that each child is a unique and capable individual. We offer a safe and loving environment, comprehensive child centered curriculum and a professional and experience staff.
We strive to provide a program which fosters creativity and encourages curiosity and love of learning. Our program provides children a rich cultural preschool experience, utilizing the Spanish language as the vehicle for instructions and experiences. Children are immersing in a Spanish Adventure Every day!!
Everyone learns “Español” through playing games, singing songs, body language expression, and visual materials for each lesson and with hands on activity they learn the Spanish language is a natural way!
The curriculum is designed for optimum growth and development in the following areas; social-emotional, oral language, physical health, fine motor, creativity and cognitive skills. These areas are addressed in a positive learning environment which promotes feelings of self-worth and success. We also offer art, science, music and dramatic play activities.
New Sunrise Preschool provides services to eligible children regardless of race, religion, gender or ethnicity.
What are your plans for the future? What are you looking forward to or planning for – any big changes?
To continue serving our community needs.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.newsunrisepreschool.com
- Email: newsunrisepreschool@yahoo.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NewSunrisePreschool/
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