Maria Rivera's Blog (12)

Yesterday was my last club of the semester teaching the wonderful girls at Langford Elementary. I had such a great time with them the entire semester! I know they're going to miss me too... they made me a friendship bracelet and made me a funky little toy to keep by my desk. We had fun making a short movie on iMovie and they learned how to trim clips, add music and add video effects.

These are just some of the photo's they took using iPhoto:…

As December comes to a chilly mid-point there is one thing on all of our minds... WINTER BREAK!

Don't waste it by sleeping in and watching Adventure Time (even if it is hilarious)!

Here are a list of things on my to-do list this holiday break:

1. SMORES--

    I love smores! They are the simplest dessert to make if you know how to push a microwave button. Grab large

    marshmallows, graham crackers and bite size Hershey's and you're good to go!…

SO, I just finished taking my last final of the semester. While I am glad it's over (mostly because I want to go home and visit my mom), I can't help but feel grateful for the amazing semester I just had! Sure there was a lot of studying and working hard but I am so proud of myself for everything that I accomplished.

Sometimes when the going gets tough, I tend to shrink back into my shell but not this semester! I became a leader in both my student organizations, I mentored so…

Are you bilingual?

If you are,

being bilingual is probably one of the most unique things about you.

It might not seem like it because almost 35 million people are Spanish speakers in the United States but if you understand, speak and write another language other than English you're way ahead of the game professionally. I know of a lot of adults that get paid to translate articles or news…

Every winter, I have the hankering to take a trip... a trip to a literary world that is! Okay so that's a little cheesy but seriously, this winter break do your best and read a book. Novels are amazing and you can learn a lot from them even if most are fiction. There's just something special about you being well-read. Trust me, the more you read the classier you become. I mean sure Harry Potter's not exactly sophisticated but it is SO entertaining. You can get so wrapped up in the lives of…

Dis txts r NOT real wrds

I was going over a lesson at one of my Latinitas club one afternoon that involved writing a paragraph. One of my girls finished hers rather quickly and as I read over it, I was a little bit in shock. I always knew writing complete sentences could be an issue but suddenly I…

Aging is happening ALL the time. It's happening now and now and even now! It's important to realize, however, that there's always those people that have aged and now are our grandparents.

Grandparents are beautiful people that have lived amazing lives at amazing times in history. Sure getting sloppy kisses from grandma can get a little annoying but you sure enjoy her tamales, don't you? Maybe you should think about asking her how she learned to make such deliciousness. I'm sure she…

Advertising has an enormous influence on us whether we realize it or not. It makes us choose certain products over others if we remember the catchy jingle while in the supermarket or without realizing it, we call everyday products by brand names instead of what they simply are. I don't know how many times I've called diapers, Pampers instead or tissues, Kleenex. 

However, advertising can have more dramatic effects as well. For example, a woman can have body-image issues…

The Latinitas at Langford Elementary School were excited to meet a special guest speaker last week: Catalina Berry, Community Affairs Director at Univision Radio Austin. Getting their communication and journalistic skills on, the girls engaged the speaker in a press conference-type interview for almost an hour!

Catalina described her…

"The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience." Eleanor Roosevelt 

Sometimes, you're having a muddled kind of bummed-out day and a grey cloud seems to be hanging over your head. Sometimes, you need a little sunshine. Quotes can be helpful. They…

I remember being in middle school and not knowing what to expect when I went to college.

I knew I wanted to go to college but I all could see was myself walking around a big campus, carrying 30 books with me and being late to class.

The funny thing is I was lost but I got over it. I got myself a map, I got myself some e-books and I woke up a little earlier. Problems solved.

You might be thinking college is impossible or unattainable but it isn't! Look at my schedule and…

Waking up at 6:45 am on a Saturday morning, before the sun even has a chance to peak out from under the sky, may not be everyone’s idea of a great time. It certainly wasn’t mine but my moody morning suddenly turned into a productive and great day when I attended the Girl’s, Inc. of San Antonio Empowerment Conference this past Saturday!

A day full of college preparation for young girls in middle and high school, the conference inspired and motivated them to pursue their goal…