Since 2011, Mrs. Clara Velasquez-Levin has been a crucial part of the Lake Highland community. She currently serves as the Upper School Edison Learning Specialist, assisting students with learning disabilities. Her role is crucial to the Lake Highland community, ensuring that students with disabilities receive the help they need.
Mrs. Velasquez-Levin started at Lake Highland 15 years ago as a Spanish teacher. She taught Spanish I & II using her native language skills to help students learn a second language. Before Mrs. Velasquez-Levin began teaching, she had experience working with students with learning differences. Naturally, when a position within the Edison Program became available, she sought it out.
Mrs. Velasquez-Levin is a lifelong learner. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in history from the University of Florida and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Northeastern University. She continues learning, currently pursuing her Master’s Degree in instructional design from the University of Central Florida. When asked how college experience shaped who she is today, she stated that, “I would say that my college experiences have shaped my perspective that college is only a very small part of the lifelong equation. It’s easy for students to put where they go to college on a very high pedestal, but I think it’s just as important to connect with people throughout your education journey, explore different career options, enjoy the process of learning, and learn more about yourself when pursuing a career that you will hopefully enjoy doing and will help you feel successful.” Her advice and experiences have helped students through their college applications find places and experiences that make them truly happy.
Mrs. Velasquez-Levin’s family is the prime example of the Lake Highland family. Mr. Levin is an 11th-grade English teacher, and her son Emanuel Velasquez is in grade 9, and her daughter is in Pre-K. When asked what it is like teaching and having students at Lake Highland, she stated, “Eye opening. I grew up on Oak Ridge in Orlando, and this was not culture I was familiar with.”
When asked what Mrs. Velasquez-Levin’s favorite part of her job is, she stated that it is simply, “Meeting with students.” Upper School students within Lake Highland’s Edison Program all meet with Mrs. Velasquez-Levin to go over work they have done, Review upcoming weeks in their classes, and go over organizational tactics and time management. The Edison Program has been helping students at Lake Highland since the late 90s. Lake Highland, being a private school, is not mandated to provide accommodations for students. Although providing accomodations is the norm now, at that time, Lake Highland was a trailblazer for students with learning differences. Public schools began providing accommodations for students with learning differences in 1973, leaving Lake Highland 20 years behind the initial curve. Lake Highland, however, did not have a need for such a program until it was brought to the attention of the administration that a parent wanted to have extra support for her child. Through close collaboration with the school, the Edison Program was born, supporting hundreds of students throughout its 30 year run at LHP.
Outside of Mrs. Velasquez-Levin’s role with the Edison Program, she enjoys many activities beyond school. She enjoys spending time with her family and relaxing with them at home watching her favorite show Golden Girls. She is an avid traveller and this Winter Break she and her family went to the British Virgin Islands.
In Mrs. Velasquez Levin’s time at Lake Highland, she has dramatically changed not only the school’s culture around learning differences but also how students with those differences organize their school work. Her role expands in and outside of the classroom her Husband Mike Levin said, “ She transfers her skills inside and outside the classroom teaching me new thing every day.”
