By Gabriella Scozzafava
Herald Intern
In the two years since making a career switch into education, Paraprofessional Annalisa Mena built a brand for herself that earned her Goldsboro Elementary Magnet School’s employee of the year title. The impact she has had on the over 900 students at Goldsboro also landed Mena as a Seminole County Public Schools employee of the year top-five finalist, among hundreds of candidates.
“Her level of commitment to enhancing the school culture, connecting with students and their families and creating an atmosphere that is conductive for the educational environment is second to none, Dr. Chris Mulholland, principal of Goldsboro, wrote in a recommendation letter for Mena that helped her become a finalist for the district award. “She understands the importance of positive relationships to promote a productive learning environment throughout our school.”
Born in Venezuela, Mena comes from a rich Hispanic background, which has guided much of her current work. Although she earned a Marketing degree from UCF and previously worked in fields such as tech and healthcare, she said she found her true calling in education when her son began kindergarten. She immediately applied for jobs at Goldsboro when her son got a seat at the lottery-based school.
“I wanted to do something that made me feel like I was changing the world in a positive way,” Mena said.
Mena’s role at Goldsboro is not limited to a single classroom. Her unique position allows her to interact with all students in many different areas of the school, from the car line to the media center. Mena observed that kids carry a lot of emotional weight in their lives, so she made it her goal to be the light for every child.
Utilizing her dance background, Mena added Goldsboro’s first dance club to the after-school clubs that students can choose to participate in. In the STEM-driven school, the club serves as an outlet for students to express themselves creatively. The club, which has about 30 members, incorporates spoken word, giving kids the opportunity to combine creative writing with movement.
Mena said clubs are another opportunity for kids to discover what they are passionate about. Part of why she started the dance club was to expose kids to another experience without financial challenges limiting their ability to participate.
“I know how expensive dance was growing up for me, and to be able to provide that to the kids at school for free, I feel like it’s huge for them.”
Mena’s passion for supporting youth transcends the Goldsboro campus. She released a children’s picture book this year called “The Dream Boy’s Dragonfly,” which is dedicated to her son Gabriel Rodriguez.
The book follows Rodriguez after a rough day at school, when he is having a hard time getting to sleep. Eventually, he falls into a magical dream adventure where he learns to self-soothe and meets a dragonfly guide that never leaves his side. Resilience, confidence, family and support are prevalent themes throughout the book. For example, Rodriguez uses music as mindfulness when he encounters a flying animal orchestra in the story, Mena said. Hispanic elements are also woven into the book with Spanish words italicized. Rodriguez is also reminded of his Abuelitos (grandfathers) wisdom in the book. By the end of his adventure, Rodriguez feels at ease and empowered.
After going through her own transformation with mindfulness and self-soothing, Mena said she wanted to give readers the skills to live lives they love at a young age. Mena does not have a formal writing degree, but has immersed herself in different writing initiatives over the last three years of writing “The Dream Boy’s Dragonfly.” She attended writers' boot camps and is also a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and served as a regional advisor for the organization representing the state of Florida.
Mena said her first book has been well-received by the community. The book has been off the shelf since the first day it became available at the Goldsboro library, she said. The book appeals to all ages, from babies enjoying the pictures to grown adults connecting with the deeper themes.
“My neighbor in her 90s read it three times before she went to bed,” Mena said.
Mena is focused on getting the new book to as many people as possible. She said Spellbound Bookstore in Sanford will be the first bookstore to carry “The Dream Boy’s Dragonfly” beginning April 1. She will have a meet and greet there and intends to host more meet and greets as the book hits more shelves.
Mena is also involved in other giving back initiatives. She works with the school administrator manager to help students in need get weekly snack bags. She also founded an ongoing initiative called the Angel Wings Project about two years ago, where boxes of clothing, shoes and toys are sent to children in the Dominican Republic.
Going forward, Mena said she hopes to continue to expand the Angel Wings Project by reaching children in more countries and possibly adding basic healthcare for children to the initiative. She also hopes to find new ways to share the mindfulness principles of her book with others.
Ultimately, Mena expressed that she is most proud of being able to help kids at school feel seen and heard every day. Hearing from parents that their kids know they are safe with Mena is especially impactful.
“They know with Ms. Mena, they are going to get a smile, they are going to get a hug, and they are going to be heard,” Mena said.
