By Victoria Gayarre, Staff Writer
In a room painted Texas orange and with colorful graphs adorning the walls, sits Mater Lakes Academy’s original math teacher Rogelio Franco. Born in Miami to Cuban immigrants, Franco was raised only minutes away from where the charter school and his future workplace, Mater Lakes Academy, would later stand. “I grew up right here in Palm Springs North,” Franco smiles, and continues to explain his favorite childhood memory, “being able to go outside and play with my friends. Kids don’t do that anymore – like the street use to be filled with children. I was born and raised right at PSN Park.” As Franco continued to grow, he graduated from American High School in the top 20% of his class. He proceeded to go to Miami Dade College on a full scholarship, and even later was one of the first to receive a scholarship to FIU for being Latin, only having to pay for a couple books all throughout his education. Throughout his time studying, he changed his major multiple times, originally wanting to become an architect. “In high school I was like the top kid in the draft and when I got to college it was too competitive and I always liked to be on top and not just in the pack,” Franco explained his switch. He then went on to study accounting but groaned at the thought of working in a cubicle and finally decided on majoring in education.To this point, he has been a teacher for 16 years and has taught everything from kindergarten to 12th grade. He explained his love and dedication saying, “I love being here with the kids and making jokes… the classroom is like my stage. I always make sure I know what I am teaching, ‘cause I just don’t want to look stupid and not know because the kids just stare back as you,” he laughed. Franco came to Mater Lakes in 2005, leaving a position at Lawton Chiles Middle School. The school was just beginning to come together when he joined the staff. He stated, “I’m one of the originals,” then he explained how he was hired at the school. He began by leaning back in his chair and using the phrase, “back in the day.” It was summer when Franco got a call from a good friend who worked with him at Lawton Chiles, regarding the new school. He said soon after they met up, “Rovi wined us and dined us —so here I am.” Currently, Franco is a geometry teacher. He describes it as his favorite subject, and while he’s only taught it for five years, it is what he enjoys most. He spoke about his biggest contributions at Mater Lakes academy stating, “I’ve done it all from being the class of 2013 sponsor, to starting up the SADD Club, being the math department head, gradebook manager—so I’ve done a lot, plus my whole comedic relief on the morning announcements.” In 2014, the graduating class decided to form a group which would later be called the SADD Club, standing for “Students Against Destructive Decisions.” It was Franco who would then became the sponsor and has been working with the club ever since. Franco describes himself as “self-motivated,” stating, “I love being here – sometimes in summer I’m like ‘damn I wish I was in class.” He hopes to be remembered as “the funniest teacher” among his students and teach them to never procrastinate.
The PAW PRINT 