LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Ms. Juana Salcedo was nominated by an anonymous student.

"North Brunswick is a vibrant community with a bustling Hispanic population. However, it is also a community where many students struggle financially, and it can be difficult for students like myself to stay connected to their Hispanic heritage," said the student. "But despite this, one community figure has helped countless students become successful, and she has made a long-lasting impact on the North Brunswick environment."

Ms. Salcedo has been a Spanish teacher for more than a decade and has been helping students for years. She has been the Latin American club advisor for four years and has been able to connect both Hispanic and all other students to Latin American culture. Through creative display showcases, educational events, and creative contests, Ms. Salcedo has helped anchor the North Brunswick community to its Hispanic roots. She has helped many students better understand Hispanic culture. She also makes learning about history and Hispanic culture incredibly fun.

Ms. Salcedo does even more outside of the school community. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Salcedo led a church-wide response effort to collect donations and fill boxes full of nonperishable food items to distribute to mostly low-earning Hispanic families around North Brunswick during the holiday seasons. These donations were able to help provide numerous families with meals throughout the holiday season. Even though she attends a dominantly Caucasian church, she tried to connect its volunteers' efforts to her Hispanic heritage to help members of the Hispanic community.

As it's known, college applications can be challenging for some. The application process is lengthy, confusing, and at times costly. So, it becomes a disadvantage for students who don't speak fluent English and with fewer financial resources. North Brunswick is a community with many transfer students from Central American countries, and many students learn English as a second language. The college application is often even harder for them.

"To combat this, during her free periods and outside of the school day, Ms. Salcedo provides pro bono college advising and assistance with the application process to any student that requests it," explains her student. "While this takes crucial planning and preparation time, she still commits more than two hours a day during the fall to help these students. She shows Spanish-speaking students how to fill out the FAFSA, Quest Bridge, and Common Applications, and she even assists them with writing their personal essays. While these processes may be difficult for students who are not fluent in English, Ms. Salcedo does her best to help each student be as successful as possible."

Whether it is the school community or her own town, Ms. Salcedo has tried to keep her environment connected to Hispanic culture. She has helped countless students and families, and her impact on North Brunswick and the community will be everlasting.

"She is the reason I want to be a teacher, and I hope that I will one day be able to impact students' lives the way she impacted mine," said her student.