What Trunk Junk Will You Need This Winter? #InviernoSeguro #Giveaway #TrunkJunk @StateFarm #Ad

*This is part of a sponsored collaboration with State Farm and Latina Mom Bloggers. However, all opinions expressed are my own.     As we prepare to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday this week, we are also anticipating a Nor'easter here in New York City.  The storm is expected to hit Wednesday evening right into Thursday and we are already receiving warnings that weather conditions will make driving and road travel dangerous and difficult.  I'd like to think that I have the supplies that I need in the car in case of this kind of emergency but one can never be too prepared.     Unfortunately, I've had the first-hand experience of being stuck in my car on the highway during the cold, winter months.  Years ago, we had a car that was handed down to us by my father that would always break down.  Don't get me wrong, we were very thankful to have received a car for free but getting stuck in the middle lane on an expressway with no heat can be extremely scary.  These moments taught us … [Read more...]

Commit Your School To Safe Teen Driving! #ManejaConCuidado @StateFarmLatino #Giveaway #Ad

*This is part of a sponsored collaboration with State Farm and Latina Mom Bloggers. However, all opinions expressed are my own.     Two years ago, I attended the wake of one of my former students who was killed in a car accident.  He was not the driver of the vehicle but the driver was another teenager who had just recently gotten his driver's license.  It was heartbreaking to see such a young person have his promising life cut short so early.     I vowed that day to help raise awareness about safe teen driving which is why I am proud to support State Farm's Celebrate My Drive® campaign.  It is geared towards sharing the belief that safe driving is a lifelong commitment from the first moment each young driver sits behind the wheel.     The number one cause of death among teens in North America.  As the mother of a tween son who will soon be old enough to get a driver's license, I love that Celebrate My Drive® helps to promote responsible driving practices like 2N2®: 2 eyes on the … [Read more...]

Submit Idea To Improve Your Community! #StateFarmAyuda #SFNeighborhoodAssist @StateFarm #Ad

*This is part of a sponsored collaboration with Latina Mom Bloggers and State Farm.  However, all opinions expressed are my own.     Recently, I shared with you all how you could make your community a better place.  State Farm Neighborhood Assist wants to help you breathe new life into your neighborhood!  By submitting your ideas around making local Hispanic communities better places to live in, you will be entered for the chance to win $25,000 to realize those dreams.  I'm very excited to announce that submissions are NOW being accepted until the first 4,000 submissions have been received – on or before March 23rd!  ¿Qué esperas?     I can't even begin to describe to you how much I would be able to do with that money by way of improving the community around the school I teach in.  Many of my students and their families struggle financially and they do not have a safe place in the community to go to after they leave school.  ¡sería un sueño hecho realidad!     My dream would … [Read more...]

Make Your Community A Better Place! #StateFarmAyuda #SFNeighborhoodAssist @StateFarm #Ad

*This is part of a sponsored collaboration with Latina Mom Bloggers and State Farm.  However, all opinions expressed are my own.     As many of you know, I have been teaching middle school students in the inner city for the past thirteen years.  The community that I teach in is full of life and made up of families who have come to this country looking for better opportunities for themselves and for their children.  Unfortunately, these families often struggle with poverty and end up making a lot of sacrifices to just be able to eat on a daily basis.     I've often thought about all of the ways that I would be able to support and improve conditions in this community if only I had the financial means to do so.  ¡Ojalá!  This will now be possible for many Hispanic communities across the United States and Canada thanks to State Farm Neighborhood Assist® grants.     For the third year in a row, the youth-led neighborhood assist program has inspired and empowered people to focus on … [Read more...]

Is Your Local High School Registered For Celebrate My Drive? #CelebrateMyDrive #Giveaway #Ad

This is part of a sponsored collaboration with Latina Mom Bloggers and State Farm. However, all opinions expressed are my own.     Recently I shared with you all the importance of discussing driving safety with your teen and pre-teen through the State Farm Celebrate My Drive® Campaign.  As an educator of adolescents, I understand perfectly their need to be treated like young adults and the fact that they want to gain more independence.  However, I also know that teens often think that they are immortal and they fail to take serious heed when it comes to the advice that we adults give them.  This is especially true when it comes to driving safely.     Luckily, State Farm understands the importance of emphasizing driving safety when it comes to teen drivers and rewards their adherence to safe driving through Celebrate My Drive®.  By holding young drivers accountable and asking them to make an online commitment to safe driving, many lives will be saved.  Maybe next time they are … [Read more...]

Encourage Young Drivers To Make Safe Driving Choices @StateFarm #CelebrateMyDrive

This is part of a sponsored collaboration with Latina Mom Bloggers and State Farm.  However, all opinions expressed are my own.     Last night, I was going through some old papers when I came upon my old Learner's Permit.  It was certainly a blast from the past and I immediately showed it to my ten year-old son so he could see my old photo and so he could see what a Permit in New York State looks like.  He immediately had a lot of questions about how someone gets a Permit and whether I was afraid to be able to drive for the first time.  State Farm is committed to teaching young people safe driving from the moment they begin to drive to set the tone for safety in vehicles for the rest of their life. As the mother of a child who will be eligible for his Learner's Permit in a few years, I have some serious concerns about safety when it comes to handing him the keys to one of our cars.  As an educator of adolescents, I know that young people don't always make the best decisions due … [Read more...]