MC grad enjoys working with young children and teensFebruary 19, 2018

“I’ve always had a passion to work with children,” said Claudia Juarez.  “Thankfully, I have been able to turn that passion into a rewarding career with education, training and two degrees from Midland College.”

The 33-year-old single mother of two is the director of the Coleman High School Child Care Center.  As such, she not only oversees and cares for infants and toddlers, but also has the opportunity to work with teen parents enrolled in the Midland Independent School District’s alternative high school.

“I’ve found that I enjoy working with the high school students,” stated Juarez.  “In fact, I have decided to go back to school to pursue a master’s degree from Grand Canyon University in professional counseling with an emphasis in childhood and adolescent disorders.”

When Claudia Juarez graduated from Lee High School in 2002, she never dreamed that just 16 years later she would be managing a children’s center and taking courses in graduate school.  She is the second oldest of four siblings and the first in her family to graduate from high school and college.  Her parents are Eulalia and Jose Luis Juarez.

“I had a great childhood,” explained Claudia.  “My parents taught me a strong work ethic.  My father has been employed with the City of Midland Transportation Division for over 20 years.”

“When I was at Lee High School, I was in the teacher’s aide program and worked with kindergarten children at Crockett Elementary School,” said Juarez.  “I was able to work with the same teacher that I had when I was in kindergarten.  I remember how much I loved her as a child, and then going back and working with her, I was inspired by how she interacted with the children.”

After high school graduation, Juarez enrolled in Midland College (MC) and was able to finance her education through the Midland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce scholarship as well as several other scholarships provided by MC.  She immediately gravitated toward taking courses in the Child Development & Early Childhood program and soon obtained employment in MC’s Children’s Center at Manor Park. 

“I worked at the Manor Park Children’s Center part-time and then full-time for a total of 10 years,” stated Juarez.  “It was a great place to gain experience working with children.  The director Tracy Roome became like a second mother to me.  I became pregnant with my first daughter Camila while I was employed there.  Tracy’s encouragement gave me the strength I needed to continue with my education.  It wasn’t easy being a single mother, working and going to school.”

In 2007, Juarez graduated from Midland College with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Child Development & Early Childhood.  She continued to work at the MC Children’s Center at Manor Park and then a few years later enrolled in MC’s Organizational Management baccalaureate degree program. 

“I wanted to earn a bachelor’s degree so that I could eventually become the director of a children’s center,” said Juarez.

“I think that the time I was working on my bachelor’s degree was not only the most difficult time in my life, but also the most rewarding.  I had accepted a job as an activity director at Manor Park working with the independent living residents.  The pay was more, and being a single mother, I had to think about earning a decent salary to take care of my daughter.  While the people with whom I worked were wonderful, I would walk by the children’s center at Manor Park, and my heart would hurt because I wanted to be with the children.”

So, when Juarez found out about the opportunity to become director of the Coleman Child Care Center, she decided to apply for the job even though she still had one more semester before completing her bachelor degree courses.

“I was so excited when I found out that I had gotten the job at Coleman,” said Juarez.  “However, looking back on those months in winter and spring of 2015, I’m not sure how I managed.  I had a new job, I was pregnant with my second daughter Cassandra and I was going to school.  I kept telling myself, ‘This will be worth it—I’m doing this for my kids.’  Somehow by the grace of God and the love and support of my parents and Tracy Roome, I got through it.”

In May 2015, Claudia Juarez graduated from Midland College with a Bachelor of Applied Technology degree in Organizational Management, and soon Cassandra was born.  Approximately 18 months ago, Juarez was able to purchase her first house, and now she and her daughters enjoy spending time together in their home.

Juarez said that Coleman is the perfect place for her.  She loves working with the young children.  She explained that most of the children at the Coleman Child Care Center are from 6 weeks to 2 years old.  The center is licensed for up to 44 children, but the average number is approximately 20 at any given time. 

“Of course, I enjoy being with the children, but I’ve also found that I like working with the teen parents,” said Juarez.  “A lot of them are from troubled homes and need role models and guidance in their lives.  We offer parent luncheons once a month where we cover topics like child safety, early intervention and relationship building.  Being a single mother myself, I understand the struggles that they have.  I want them to know that their child comes first, and now they have to think about two people’s futures.  I hope they are able to find a passion like I did, and then set goals and work hard to turn that passion into a career they will love.”