If you’re looking for Rosalyn Damiana Lake Montero—or Señorita Lake as she’s best known—on the campus of SEED DC, just look…everywhere. Señorita Lake not only teaches Spanish, but also coaches cross-country and track and leads various Spark activities. (Sparks are a component of SEED’s Student Life curriculum.)
When the two-time teacher of the year started at SEED DC three years ago, she felt at home right away. “When I first started working at SEED DC, as a Spanish teacher, I truly fell in love with the school because of how the scholars received me. They were so sweet and welcoming. The children from this entire community are a joy to know.”
It’s no surprise that Señorita Lake fit right in with the culture of SEED DC. Her teaching philosophy is aligned with SEED’s model of wraparound support. For her, it all starts with the emotional well-being of her students. At the beginning of her classes, she checks in with her students to see how they’re feeling and what kind of day they’re having. Her commitment to the whole child is apparent to everyone. “Ms. Lake is fondly known throughout the campus for exhibiting compassion and gratitude towards students and staff. Her perseverance for engaging students to address their social and emotional needs first in order to support academic success, has transcended throughout both academic and student life programs,” says Principal Durham at SEED DC.
In her classes, Señorita Lake strives to make language come alive. She immerses students in Spanish speaking cultures and cross-curriculum activities. For her, language instruction is a way to bring a global perspective to students, exposing them to different experiences, cultures, and places. “I make sure my lessons are engaging, based on exposure, scholar-led, and career-oriented, to ensure scholars are seeing beyond the classroom,” she says.
In her time at SEED, Señorita Lake has gotten involved with many aspects of school culture. She has led after-school Sparks like Tae Kwon Do and Spanish club, and a morning Spark called “Señoritas de SEED,” where she has breakfast with the girls before they start their day. The former Junior Olympic athlete also coaches cross country and track and field. Outside of school, she was also recently been named an Opportunity Fellow for EmpowerEd, where she is collaborating with other local leaders in education to bring equitable, holistic education practices to all DC students.
Throughout the disruptions and challenges of the pandemic, Señorita Lake has maintained her buoyant presence and close connections to students. Like so many teachers she had to get creative in how she remained connected with her students. She brought students both the high standard of language instruction they always had, with activities that would boost their wellbeing and bring some joy during times when everyone needed a pick me up. She came up with ideas like virtual running challenges to help students stay active even when they couldn’t participate in on-campus sports. She also encouraged students to connect to Spanish-speaking culture with fun activities like merengue workouts, and a student-led speaker series on Instagram.
And Señorita Lake practices what she projects. Her self-care routine is integral to sustaining the positivity she shares with her students, and the mental and physical health she promotes. Before she meets with colleagues and students in the morning, she wakes up early to move and meditate, centering herself so that she can project positivity through her day. It’s a good reminder for all the people who take care of others—taking care of yourself is just as important!