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[Pages S2730-S2731]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
______
TRIBUTE TO JEN COCO-MOLINA AND JAQUELYN LARA
Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, I would like to have printed in the
Record an article that was published in the Miami Herald, ``These Miami
special ed teachers brought the party to students on the last day of
school.'' I commend Ms. Coco-Molina and Ms. Lara for their dedication
to Florida's students, and the memories they created that will never be
forgotten.
The material follows:
[June 3, 2020]
These Miami Special Ed Teachers Brought the Party to Students on Last
Day of School
(By Colleen Wright)
Special education teachers Jen Coco-Molina and Jacquelyn
Lara couldn't have their last day of school party at South
Miami Senior High as usual, so they brought the party to
their students.
They pulled up in front of Cristin Baez-Alvarez's apartment
building blasting Cristin's favorite song. From the ``mobile
party'' in Coco-Molina's trunk, the teachers pulled out a
goody bag just for 15-year-old Cristin: M&Ms, a daisy pen, a
Disney Puppy Dog Pals coloring book and a smile balloon on a
stick.
``It's a happy balloon, like you, always smiling,'' said
Lara.
Cristin took the goody bag and a bite out of a red frosted
Publix cupcake. She's nonverbal, but her unflinching
frosting-stained smile said it all. And what she couldn't
express, her mother said in Spanish.
``She's emotional. She's afraid that when she goes back
upstairs, she'll start crying,'' mom Cristina Baez told Lara.
Like Coco-Molina and Lara, teachers everywhere have been
adapting since the coronavirus pandemic catapulted them into
online distance learning March 13. Wednesday was
unceremoniously the last day of school for Miami-Dade County
Public Schools.
But the pair couldn't let the school year end like this.
Coco-Molina teaches math and Lara teaches English and science
to 11 ninth- and tenth-graders with varying disabilities. All
but one of the students they visited Wednesday will have a
different pair of teachers next year.
``We're their second moms,'' said Coco-Molina. ``We're not
just their teachers.''
Coco-Molina's trunk was draped with a green plastic
tablecloth. There were turquoise and pink paper lanterns,
shiny streamers, and a letter board read ``Enjoy your
summer.'' Next to the goody bags were cupcakes for the
students, mini cupcakes for their families.
Teachers get a surprise
Max Ortiz waited on his front porch for his teachers with a
surprise of his own. His
[[Page S2731]]
mother made summer-themed gift bags for each teacher with
beach bags, metal tumblers and makeup wipes.
And he had assignment packets to turn in to each teacher.
The 16-year-old dashed up to the car. ``Hi miss! How you
doing?'' he said as he took a vanilla cupcake. ``I've been
good, miss. It's been a while.''
``You have been an ideal student,'' Lara said through
tears. ``I wish I could have you as a student for the rest of
your life.''
Coco-Molina couldn't hold back, either. ``He came to us as
a boy, and now he's a freaking man,'' she said. ``He always
needed our approval and now he's so independent.''
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