ELK GROVE, CA (MPG) - When Jaylah Quiambao-Sims was a student at Helen Carr Castello Elementary School, she was in the first class Charmaine Balaoro ever taught for the Champions program as a kindergarten teacher.

About a decade after finishing elementary school, Quiambao-Sims returned to the same classroom she once attended as a student to work alongside Balaoro, now instructing as a site teacher for the program herself. The full-circle moment highlights the role teachers can play in shaping students’ lives, an impact Balaoro now sees firsthand in her own colleague.

Balaoro has served as site director for the Champions before- and after-school program at Helen Carr Castello Elementary for the past 18 years. She welcomes students each morning and afternoon, providing structured curriculum and learning activities for children who need care outside the regular school day while their parents are at work.

“We’re a very tight-knit community,” Balaoro said. “Our mission is just to make sure that the kids get that extended learning here, especially with our programs.”

The Champions program serves students from kindergarten through sixth grade, with many remaining enrolled throughout their elementary experience. As a result, Balaoro often works with the same students from the day they begin school until they graduate.

That was the case for Quiambao-Sims, who spent seven years in the Champions program under Balaoro’s direction.

 

Champions program kindergarten teacher Jaylah Quiambao-Sims holds a photo book with a throwback photo of herself and site director Charmaine Balaoro from her time as a student. Photo by Idaly Valencia

Quiambao-Sims said Balaoro’s ability to build connections with students and parents alike was one of the qualities that inspired her to pursue working as a teacher.

“Miss Charmaine, she definitely tries to build those connections, not just with students but also with the families,” Jaylah said. “My mom, she will still be like, ‘Say hi to Miss Charmaine!’”

Nearly 10 years later, Balaoro was surprised to see a familiar name among the applicants for a teaching position that had opened last year at the Champions program.

“She was really shy, quiet,” said Balaoro, noting she didn’t expect Quiambao-Sims to pursue a career in teaching when she had her as a student. However, Balaoro said seeing her now in that role has been heartwarming to observe.

“It’s just nice because, flash forward to now, when I get to see her with the kids… honestly, the littles gravitate to Jaylah,” she added.

Reflecting on working alongside a former student, Balaoro said it reinforces a lesson she tries to instill in all her pupils: Pursue work that makes you happy.

A board in the classroom reads “Come, do, inspire,” reminding students of that message.

 

Champion program kindergarten teacher Jaylah Quiambao-Sims, right, pictured as a student with site director Charmaine Balaoro in 2016. Courtesy photo

“I always tell them, ‘Hey, no matter what you do, be happy doing it,’” Balaoro said. “You have one life to live, and if you’re not happy at your job, why are you there?”

Some traditions from when Quiambao-Sims was a student are now becoming core memories for the new generation. One of those is Grumble, a hand-crafted wooden box with eyes, a nose, teeth and a scarf that is filled with socks in October during an annual sock drive for the Elk Grove Food Bank.

Balaoro said the effort began about a decade ago, with this year marking its 10th anniversary. The drive was created in memory of her husband’s late mother and has since become a staple of the program that teaches students the value of giving back.

Quiambao-Sims added that experiences like those in Balaoro’s classroom also helped to shape her desire to work with youth in an educational setting. Now a college student at San Jose State, she is studying social work and hopes to continue working in roles where she can help support children.

For those currently in high school or recent graduates considering a similar career path, Quiambao-Sims shared that the work may not be suitable for everyone, but it is rewarding for those who want to make a difference in students’ lives.

“I honestly had a few good teachers, and Miss Charmaine was one of them. That kind of made me want to get into teaching,” Quiambao-Sims said. “It just takes a lot of patience, and it has to be something you really want to do to make an impact in their lives.”

 

Champions program kindergarten teacher Jaylah Quiambao-Sims, left, poses with site director Charmaine Balaoro, right, with their classroom mascot, Grumble, in the center. Photo by Idaly Valencia