CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, one Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools teacher is sharing her culture with her students.

Andrea Guerrero was born and raised in Charlotte, but her parents immigrated to the United States from Mexico before she was born.

When she started school, she didn't speak English, as her family spoke Spanish at home.

What You Need To Know

  •  Andrea Guerrero is returning to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools as a first-year teacher

  •  She grew up in Charlotte, after her parents immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico

  •  When she started school, she didn't speak any English

  • Teachers at her elementary school helped her catch up and stay on track

But thanks to her teachers, Guerrero was able to stay on track, inspiring her to become a teacher herself.

Now, she’s returned to the classroom, this time as a first-year teacher. She hopes to be able to bridge the gap between students who may not speak English and their school community.

"I didn't have a single Latino teacher growing up, and now I'm seeing a lot more for teachers and educators,” Guerrero said. “And it's so nice seeing that because as soon as a kid walks in and they see that you're Latino and they're Latino to you, they immediately have that connection with them and they immediately know she might understand me a little bit more because we have that similar background."

Guerrero is not the only teacher in her family. Her older sister is also a Spanish-English teacher with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.