A Dream to Make a Difference

Welcome, my name is Stephanie Flores and thank you for visiting my site! I would like to tell you a story about how I grew up knowing I wanted to make a difference.

I grew up in an active family where soccer, football, band practice, and youth group filled every night of our schedule. I am the eldest of three with two younger brothers. As the big sister growing up, I was ready to defend all kids who needed help. I guess this is why I gravitated to martial arts. I spent my early childhood through my teen years absolute enamored by the sport. Looking back now I realized that I wanted to be the defender, the one who rights the wrongs and fights for justice! It is no surprise that I began working my first job teaching martial arts. I had the wonderful opportunity to teach students from the age of 3 to 92! Teaching people to defend themselves, surly, I thought, this would make a difference. 

As I moved into adulthood, I began my career in healthcare as an Emergency Medical Technician. I worked on a 9-1-1 ambulance for eight years before attending nursing school. The eight years I spent working directly with society's most vulnerable and forgotten population further impressed on my heart the need for a societal shift and that I was supposed to be a part of that shift. I knew I could make a difference. 

After graduating nursing school with honors, I gravitated quickly to where I knew I could make the biggest difference, the emergency room and trauma nursing. Even here I felt like I there was something more I could do. I began asking myself how can I make a difference?

As I did some soul searching, I realized being unable to have children put my husband and I in a unique spot. We are young energetic and ready to get involved but how? We chose to become foster parents, I knew this would make a difference! 

Why School Board?

Stephanie, you're a nurse, why School Board?

As we began our foster care journey, we found that crowded classrooms, over worked (and under paid) teachers, the lack of student support, and violence on campuses was having a detrimental effect on the children who have come live in our home. I thought to myself, this is it, this is my chance to make a real difference! 

As a foster parent and nurse, I have the unique ability to look outside the box. Unlike those who are past or present teachers or school board members, I have an outside perspective. My experience as an emergency room nurse has taught me to listen to and understand people and their concerns. It has led me to be slow to judgment and methodical and rational in a crisis. I have had the opportunity to partner with people of every color, race, and creed. This has taught me the strength in embracing our differences and working together to serve our community.