Raven Teacher Is a Leader Helping Families

The Gregorian Fellows Leadership Program at Benedictine College promotes Catholic identity in public life by forming a new generation of leaders who unite faith and reason in their work. On Fellows Fridays, the Gregorian Institute will introduce you to some of these extraordinary students.

Gregorian Fellow class of 2019 Caitlin Guarnero, an Elementary and Special Education major from San Antonio, Texas, showed what leadership means in her service of families in Atchison, Kansas.

After working for three years at Atchison Child Care Association, she started the Little Ravens Initiative — an organization serving the families in Atchison Child Care Association through volunteers and special events for the families who were enrolled at the center.

“I have always enjoyed teaching and working with children from a very young age,” she said. “I wanted to make a big impact on the community around me through teaching our future leaders. Dr. Ramsey had a huge part in me deciding to pursue my degree in Special Education. He showed me that it is possible to do great things in this field.”

The Little Ravens Program would connect Benedictine College students to the students who attend the after-school program at Atchison Child Care Association. This program provides mentoring, relationship, and role models for the students of Atchison, Kansas.

What do Ravens have to offer families? “Benedictine College is a small Catholic school with lots of opportunity for community and not just spiritual growth, but personal development,” she said.