Meet Maria Tamarez

Maria moved from the Dominican Republic when she was twelve and came to Inwood Academy her freshman year of high school. She served as a Peer Group Connections Leader, graduated with honors, and was manager of the Volleyball team.

"When I graduated middle school, my English wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t where I wanted it to be,” Maria reflects. “I was scared people would make fun of me when I read out loud in class.”
Maria names multiple teachers and staff members she bonded with over her time in high school, referring to them as second moms and best friends, and thanking them for the help they gave her.

“When I came to Inwood Academy, I still wasn’t speaking during class and I stayed to myself, but the teachers were super helpful. They made it feel like a safe zone, so if I didn’t understand something, I would go up to them. They made me feel okay about not understanding.”

Two years after Maria graduated from Inwood Academy, she is a rising Junior at her top-choice school, John Jay College. Maria is studying Public Administration and working full-time at Inwood Academy as our Operations Intern. “I’ve wanted to work in an office since I was a little kid,” she beams.

Maria along with many of our Alumni relied on Inwood Academy to help them see all the opportunities that are available to them. Our goal is to Empower students to become agents for change through community-focused leadership, character development, and college preparedness but our work here goes beyond that and Maria is a true testament of that.