Yanira is a bilingual math teacher from the state of New Mexico. She was born in Chihuahua, Mexico and moved to Albuquerque, NM 16 years ago. In her 11 years in the classroom, she has taught math, algebra, Spanish, and technology. She is a bilingual coordinator and the math department chair at Washington Middle School, one of the oldest public middle schools in the state of New Mexico.  She currently teaches English and dual language classes for math and algebra. Teaching is her greatest passion.  She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Electronic Industrial Engineering from El Instituto Tecnólogico de Chihuahua and a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instructional Leadership from The College of Santa Fe. Yanira has been on the Board for Dual Language Education of New Mexico for over three years. She collaborates with the US Department of Education by assisting with the development of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Her love for dual language education has grown immensely since she started teaching because she has recognized the cultural, educational and beneficial implications of what dual language programs offer.