AMIGO OF THE WEEK ~ Profe Osman

Osman Quintanilla, affectionately known as "Profe Osman," is the Director of the Amigos de Jesus School and one of the many great role models our kids have here. At just 25 years old, he has been at the ADJ school for five years, four of which he has served as Director. He is wise beyond his years -- an outstanding leader with an open mind and propensity to get things done. In working with the kids, he has an innate ability to balance love and discipline. He is very accepting of new ideas and always looking for ways to move the school forward and provide the best opportunities for the kids.

Profe Osman's wife, Mirna, works as a "madrina" (caretaker) on the "hogar" (home) side of Amigos and their daughter, Danna Sofia, is in her first year of "Kinder" (preschool) at the ADJ school. Profe Osman's cousin is also Padrino Antonio, one of the longest-standing caretakers at Amigos. We are grateful to have Profe Osman and his entire family with us to serve as an example for our kids of what a traditional family unit can look like.

Read more below from our interview with Profe Osman:

1. Hometown: Protección, Santa Barbara, Honduras
2. You have been at Amigos for a long time. What has led you to stay as long as you have? I love working here. I can't imagine working as a teacher in any other school. The way Amigos works is not like any other school in Honduras. My friends are here, my family is here, and now my daughter is starting school here. I picture myself staying at Amigos for a long time.
3. What makes the ADJ school different from other schools in Honduras? Many things! First is our population of students - children from traditional family units combined with children from our "hogar" (home).  The second thing is the diversity among our teachers - we have teachers from both Honduras and the U.S. We are a diverse community in many ways and the mix of cultures is great exposure for the kids.
4. What is your favorite thing about the ADJ school? The commitment of everyone who works here. I am amazed everyday by how much everyone here cares about the kids, even though most of our teachers are not paid. At other schools, teachers may be paid more, but their attitude is focused on simply getting through material from the government. Here, the teachers truly care about the personal development of every student.
5. Tell us a little bit about the university program in which you are currently enrolled. In 2010, I became a licensed teacher, but I never got my university degree. (In Honduras, a teaching license can be earned at 18 years old, prior to attending university). I now attend university on the weekends in Santa Rosa, Honduras, and am working toward a degree in Sociology/Social Sciences. I am just about to finish my formal classes, and then I just have one year practicums in Azacualpa, Honduras.
6. Where do you see the ADJ school in the next few years? I picture more consistency and structure across the teachers and systems of the school. We have amazing groups of volunteer teachers that come in every year, and our group of core teachers is also growing. I would like to see more teachers continue to stay long-term. Overall, I hope it continues to be a place that allows our kids, with all of their unique needs, to meet their full potential.
7. What is your favorite day of the school year?  The first day of classes, definitely. There is always so much anticipation and excitement!
8. Favorite food: Baleadas
9. Favorite type of music: Songs with a good message
10. Favorite color: Green