Today we’d like to introduce you to Sheena Carmela Juliano
Hi Sheena Carmela, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Aloha, my name is Sheena Carmela Juliano and I am originally from Kaua’i, Hawai’i. Growing up in the islands my entire life taught me the importance of building community and being open to diverse cultures. Essentially, Hawai’i raised me to show the spirit of aloha to all I encounter, live ‘pono (righteously), and to malama the ‘aina (take care of the land). These are values that have shaped me to become the person I am today.
However, as much as I love calling Hawai’i home, being surrounded by miles of Pacific Ocean tends to cause one to think to themselves, “what else is out there?” Thus, my adventurous soul would often fly out of the islands in order to explore the world beyond the waters. I have been blessed to visit many countries and other states in the mainland (Continental U.S.) through the grace of God, the gift of long distance friendships, and the pure will to see what I have never seen before. Each visit outside of Hawai’i only expanded my worldview, my knowledge, and my appreciation of where I came from.
Alongside my desires to travel is my passion to teach. Being able to share what I have learned and have been blessed to experience in this lifetime so as to inspire youthful minds to also dream big and courageously run towards what the world has to offer is something I deeply feel is my calling. Graduating with a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education and Master’s in Education, Curriculum Studies: STEMS2 at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa led me to teaching K-5 STEM and later, 4th grade on O’ahu, Hawai’i in order to do so.
I am now in my fifth year of teaching, except I have made my way to being a 4th grade ELAR/S.S. teacher here in Houston, TX.
It has officially been one year since I’ve moved here and Houston has treated me so kindly. While I do my best to visit home whenever I can, my ambitions remain the same: explore places I have never been, educate the next generation of leaders, and ultimately, enjoy life.
I was just a regular Filipino girl who grew up on a small island in Hawai’i, yet I have already done so much in my time on Earth simply because I wanted to see, know, hear, breathe, and experience MORE! And deep down in my heart, I hope seeing me live this truth will only inspire others to do the same. To be completely honest; I did not always have the means or methods to make it happen, but it still happened. And I can really only thank the Lord Almighty for it.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Living in Hawai’i my entire life caused me to always wonder what more was out there beyond the Pacific Ocean. I dreamed of what it was like to live elsewhere, so I had every intention to one day experience living outside of Hawai’i. When COVID hit, I met a boy from California during quarantine. It was such a random match considering I was not looking for love, but we made it work for three years. I was planning to move to San Diego with him and finally get to achieve that dream of living outside of Hawai’i when at the very last minute—it ended. He was not ready.
So, how did I get here? God lined it up for me. Despite me already leaving my job in Hawai’i, signing off of my apartment lease, and having everything already packed up, I still wanted to achieve my dream. Except any plans I had got wrecked and I had no idea what was next for me. Luckily, a friend was moving to Texas around the same time and allowed me to move with her. I was so grateful for the opportunity, yet it was such a random jump for me to move to Texas when I have never been before. How was I supposed to know if it was the right move?
Well, God showed me it was. Within a month of being uncertain of the unknown, I found an apartment through a random Tiktok, secured a job through a previous high school teacher who just so happened to already be in Houston, and was able to have all of my things shipped for free. What really put the cherry on top was arriving to Texas to see the distance between my new place and my new job, only to find out they were literally five minutes away from each other.
Since I’ve moved here, I’ve come to learn that my plans being wrecked was a blessing in disguise. Moving to Texas and experiencing all I have since I’ve been here has been so much better than I would have ever imagined.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
What you see as just an ordinary elementary teacher, I see as a superhero who truly does it all. I wear many hats for my students. I am a mom, a dad, a guardian, a caretaker, a cheerleader, a supporter, a corrector, a therapist, an advocator, and a champion for my students.
I believe my life experiences outside of the classroom has equipped me to take on what is needed to help my students succeed in their academic journey and ultimately, in their life. I empathize deeply with the trials and trauma some students face outside the school walls, which allows me to approach them as we should any other human. Students are not just machines that are meant to memorize things from a textbook. Kids have feelings, too.
I see my kids for who they are and what they can be. And it is my job to guide them there. While the education system unfortunately is not at its best in this current day and age, I feel that I should still do my best to provide a quality education and experience for my students.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
While my family and friends have all played such intricate parts in shaping me to become the person I am today (and I appreciate them so much for it), all the praise be to God. Without him, I could not have this life.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @swagmasheen
