Support elementary school principals in Mexico

Dora Ruth Castillo: “With LISTO, I was able to recognize that I am a leader.”

Dora Ruth Castillo runs a small preschool with 80 students in Tuxpan, in the state of Veracruz. Recently, she took her performance exam, as a certification for her role as principal. When she received her results, they were marked as “outstanding”. Obviously, Dora was very excited, but the true surprise came when the results were presented at the annual Consulta Publica, which listed her file in first place. She had received the highest score.   

“I started the LISTO program in 2015. We were fortunate in being a very close-knit group,” shares the school principal. Reflecting on what the program meant to her, Dora shares that she has had a lot of potential, but it was through the program - along with the constant support from her coach - that she was able to identify and understand that: “I am the point that can move many, many things.”

“With LISTO, I was able to recognize that I am a leader, that I can do it. I am capable of transforming, of inspiring, of believing these things are true. So, I own up to that leadership and most importantly saying that I want to, that I’m going to, and I have to. I have to because my community needs it, my children need it, my teachers need it. I need to believe it so that they can start to believe it too.”

Sara Bocanegra was Dora’s coach. She has supported Dora consistently, she listened to her, and guided her. Even though the Dora has already completed the program, they remain in touch and talk about the program’s coaching element frequently. “I would tell Sarita that I was very intelligent and that I possibly knew a lot of things, but I was scared to say that it was possible. I was afraid that if it didn’t work people would tell me, ‘See? It wasn't possible.’ And she would tell me, just as the LISTO process showed her, was that if you have it give it a shot, and if it's not possible that’s okay. And she made it very clear to me that this is also part of the learning process.”

With time, Dora realized how her school was transforming. Now, she has received feedback from her teachers and school community that motivates her to keep going. “With you we have learned; you inspire us,” her teachers and community tell her.

Dora says her school is located in a region that faces issues of violence. For two years, situations and circumstances in which people have been victims of violence have occurred around them. “It is a very difficult area with children who see a lot of violence and mothers who need attention and care. But they come to school, and I see that they gladly come. Passing through the doors into the school is a completely different environment. The children enjoy it and they feel safe.”      

This environment has also impacted the number of pre-registrations as more people want to enroll in her school. “Every year I have a waitlist, but two years ago people lined up for twelve hours to sign up for my school. Last year, people lined up the day before, and this year it was even longer.”

Analyzing these results and the demand for her school, she excitedly shares, “It’s possible that its the time. It could be the level of the school, but many people tell me, ‘Miss, since you came this has changed.’ Before I didn’t believe it, but now that I think about it these changes coincide with my participation with LISTO, with making other decisions, with the fact that I was and remain here, and with my personal development. So, I’m starting to believe it!”

Dora’s LISTO group was made up of 35 participants. They actually have a WhatsApp group where they continue to support each other and share their achievements. They also share recommendations and useful materials.

“It has really been a really great experience with my colleagues. In this group, we are determined to change something; we weren’t forced to and no one told us we had to participate. In the end, it's a group that wants to change and transform, so we find ourselves with these characteristics. We count on this, we support each other and grow in this diverse group.”