Tiffany Nieto’s Road from Student to Future Trailblazer and Teacher

Future Trailblazer Tiffany Nieto found her calling as a teacher at Parkland High School in the Teacher Cadets program. In that program, Tiffany found real support and a genuine passion for teaching. But Tiffany’s road to teaching started long before high school, shaped by childhood experiences that gave her a sense of purpose. Tiffany moved to North Carolina in kindergarten and started school at Kimmel Farm speaking only Spanish. It was not until fifth grade, when an ESL teacher took the time to give her extra help, that Tiffany finally started to feel like she belonged. That support built her confidence, helped her make friends and shaped her career goals.

Tiffany was also impacted by the example of her parents’ hard work and sacrifice. Her mother worked night shifts to provide for the family, while her father, a former police officer, later turned to trucking. Tiffany lost her father while she was still young and she planned to follow him into law enforcement to honor his memory. Parkland’s Teacher Cadets program changed that. When Tiffany started working with kids and teaching, something just clicked. Designed to introduce high schoolers to the teaching profession and build diversity in education, the program clarified Tiffany’s career goals. It also gave her support, especially from instructor Rebecca Sims, who helped her cope with the loss of her father. Now Tiffany is headed to Forsyth Tech, on her way to becoming a teacher herself.