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‘Thank you, Ms. Iris’

Fairview Head Start Center teacher Iris Lopez sat down with student Brianda Lopez, 4, helping her thread a heart-shaped Valentine’s Day folder together.

With a soft voice, a few words of encouragement in Spanish and a smile from Lopez,  Brianda quickly weaved the dark pink yarn through the small hole punches in the paper heart.

“You can do it, Brianda,” said Lopez, as she pulled her long, curly hair away from her face. “Look at you, you did it! Wasn’t that easy?”

Lopez was recently named the 2007 California Head Start Teacher of the Year. She was selected from all the nominations for the Head Start Teacher of the Year throughout California.

Lopez has worked at Fairview for the past six years. She oversees two class sessions of 20 students, all between the ages of 3 to 5.

The students here mostly come from low-income families. Lopez says she helps develops young minds and cultivate each child’s individual personality with patience and listening.

“It feels great going home after seeing a bunch of smiles. It makes you feel like you’ve done your job,” said Lopez. “They’re so loveable.”

Lopez, 32, is a  wife and mother of four children of her own — Melvin Jr., 13; Anthony, 11; Crystal, 9; and Kevin, 6. She says her job as a teacher helps her have more patience in her job as a mother and she better understands kids’ developmental stages.

Although Lopez wasn’t present to receive her award (because she was on vacation), the ceremony was held in Newport Beach at the California Head Start Association’s Ninth annual Conference Awards Luncheon to honor her and the other winners.

Lopez was shocked to win such a prestigious award. “I’m really excited by the attention I’ve been getting by people,” said Lopez with a laugh. “It feels awesome.”
Lopez helps students learn to write their name, their ABCs, numbers, colors and shapes before heading into kindergarten.

Of course, when it comes to pre-K’s, there are some other “lessons” a bit more on the playful side.

On this day, for instance, Lopez is also acting as wardrobe consultant to one of her young students, helping the little girl put on her white princess gown and tiara for playtime.

“Thank you, Ms. Iris,” said Alajha Gibson, 4, before walking toward the make-believe princess castle.

When asked about her teacher, Alajha has nothing but praise.

“Ms. Iris is always nice because she helps everybody,” Alajha said. “She makes feels like we’re all important people. She spends time with all of us.”
Lopez is originally from El Salvador and came to the U.S. when she was a teenager.

She didn’t finish high school in Los Angeles, instead marrying her husband, Melvin, now also 32, and becoming a first-time mother during her senior year.

However, Lopez did eventually return to school and earned her GED.

After working with Community Action Partnership, she was hired to be an aide, then a teacher at the Fairview Head Start Center.

Her co-worker and fellow teacher, Bonny Whitfield said she enjoyed working with Lopez right when she first met her as a substitute teacher years ago.

When Whitfield found out she would be working with Lopez on a permanent basis, she was very happy. The pair of teachers have now worked together at Fairview for more than two years.

“Iris is the kind of person, if she can’t do it, then no one else can,” said Whitfield. “She’s very dependable and responsible. Even on the roughest days, she makes them better with her sense of humor.”