Meet Olivia Vallario, Lavelle Prep Teaching Assistant and New Ventures Alum🎓 #HumansofICS

"Growing up, school was never my happy place. A learning disability turned what should have been a foundation for dreams into a wall I couldn’t climb. Despite my love for learning, my dream of becoming a teacher started to fade, especially in high school.Teachers ridiculed me for struggling with the curriculum, and classmates treated me as an outsider. By sophomore year, I was failing and at risk of being held back, but I received no extra support.

I had all but given up when a new door opened: New Ventures Charter School. They welcomed me, promising friends, family, and the chance to graduate on time. Skeptical but desperate, I gave it a shot. This time was different. My teachers didn’t see me as just another student; they saw me as a person. They listened and supported me, making me believe I could succeed. Slowly, my grades improved. For the first time in years, I felt capable. Then came the internship program. Every Friday, I worked in a kindergarten classroom. At first, I was nervous, but helping young students—tying shoelaces, explaining colors—gave me something unexpected: confidence. I felt like I belonged. By senior year, everything had changed. My grades soared. I had friends, teachers who felt like family, and a renewed purpose: to become a teacher. I graduated on time with an honor roll certificate and an award in my hands.

Fast forward to today, and I’ve come full circle. I now teach at the very school that saved me. Every day, I step into the classrooms that once gave me hope, determined to be the teacher my students need. When they struggle, I share my story. I tell them anything is possible if they believe in themselves and never give up. And when I see the light in their eyes—the same light my teachers sparked in me—I know teaching isn’t just a job. It’s a calling. This journey has shown me that those who lift us inspire us to lift others. New Ventures didn’t just help me graduate; they gave me a future. Now, I pass that gift on to the next generation at Lavelle Prep. This is a story of hope, redemption, and the power of education to transform lives."