August 19, 2022
Harvard Hires D50 Graduate and Seal of Biliteracy Recipient for First Time
Harvard native, Harvard High School graduate of 2018, and Rockford University graduate of 2022, Maria Mercado, is rejoining her hometown as Crosby Elementary’s newest 3rd grade Spanish Dual Language Teacher. Maria is the first student in the history of Harvard Community School District 50 to be hired as a certified teacher that graduated from Harvard High School and earned her seal of biliteracy.
In a recent interview with Maria, she highlighted her favorite Harvard memory, who influenced her bilingual journey, the importance of earning a seal of biliteracy, and why she is most excited about joining Crosby Elementary’s teaching staff. “I would say the Harvard memories that are most ingrained in me would be the pep assemblies throughout my years in Harvard; there was always so much pride and joy,” Maria reflected.
Bilingualism is an integral part of many Harvard students' lives. When asked how it affected Maria’s academic career, she explained, “The dual language program was not yet implemented as I went through grade school. It actually began about a year after with the grade below me, the class of 2019. I do remember wishing I would have been part of the program to learn all of the academic Spanish that came with being in the dual language program and embracing both languages while making new connections with peers.” But that didn’t stop Maria from furthering the knowledge she already had in the language. “It was thanks to Mr. Valdes, who really pushed me in Spanish class throughout our four years together and would always push me a step further to things such as being the President of the Spanish club during my upperclassmen years. He was always very encouraging, “Maria, I know you can do it” that is something I will always remember and brought with me as I took the Seal of Biliteracy exam.”
Earning the seal made returning to Harvard as an educator that much more special: "I am most excited about being in the community I grew up in. I am really excited to be a teacher that has accomplished the goal that our teachers have as a goal for the students: to graduate as a seal of biliteracy scholar. I am the students I am teaching; I see a younger version of me in them.”
She also added the importance of what it takes to earn that seal of biliteracy, saying, “This was a really big deal to me coming from a Spanish-speaking home and having to learn English as I made my way through our education system. Not only was I tested on my ability to speak, read, and write in Spanish, but it was also necessary to have the ability to speak, write, and read English.”
Harvard CUSD 50 Director of Dual Language, Amber Bowgren, emphasized, "It is with great pride to have Maria join our Dual Language team. I hope she is the first of many Harvard Seal of Biliteracy graduates to enter the teaching profession. The District is in the very early stages of planning ways to increase future teacher candidates with an additional interest in our bilingual graduates. With our number of Seal of Biliteracy recipients on the rise, we are eager to plant the seed of a career as a bilingual educator. With the recent Illinois State Board of Education mandate requiring foreign language as a graduation requirement by the 2028-2029 school year, we anticipate an even greater need for bilingual teachers.”
Maria hopes her students know that “they can come into my classroom and bring a piece of their home and culture into the classroom with us. My classroom will be a culturally safe space, a space that feels like home to them because I will remind them how important their cultures and their bilingualism are.”
With CUSD 50’s BHAG goal of Over 50% of graduates earning the Seal of Biliteracy by December 2026, educators like Maria will make all the difference.
Harvard CUSD is honored to hire Maria and bring her back to her roots in Harvard.
#HarvardRising
To learn more about the Seal of Biliteracy in Harvard, visit: www.cusd50.org/seal
If you are interested in joining #HarvardRising, please visit: www.cusd50.org/careers