FCHS Spanish teacher Gladys Guzman has spent her life making the best of change, from coming to the United States as a teenager with little to nothing, to making a name for herself through education.

Guzman, who possesses four degrees in history and literature, has been teaching Spanish at Fluvanna County schools for five years, three at Fluvanna County Middle School, and two at Fluvanna County High School. Guzman’s son Mateo was her primary inspiration for becoming a Spanish teacher in Fluvanna.

“I was worried about him going to public school in this country, and more specifically in this county. I don’t see a lot of Hispanic parents involved in the school and I wanted everyone to know that my son was not the norm,” she said.

Guzman was originally born in Bogota, Colombia.“My childhood was a bit difficult. I had a lot of health issues and I spent a good amount of time at doctors’ offices and hospitals. Also, I spent a lot of time alone with my brother and sisters because my parents worked full-time and they were not home very often. When they were, we were not to be heard or seen unless they requested our presence,” she said.

At age 19, Guzman and her family fled to the United States after the drug conflict in Columbia became too dangerous to stay. After arriving in the states, Guzman attended Montgomery College, University of Maryland, and University of Virginia, earning four degrees, including an Associates in International Studies, a Bachelors in Spanish, a certificate in Latin American Studies, and a Masters in Spanish Literature.

Now as an educator, Guzman says, “I care for each one of my students and treasure the good and bad about them. They keep me young at heart and there is nothing more gratifying than hearing my name when I go to the grocery store, the games, the pool, the beach or anywhere. The other teachers wonder what is the secret of my popularity. The kids know me and by default, the parents know me too. I feel that my son and I have gained a community in this region that I don’t remember ever having in the many years I lived in Colombia.”