My Why
Hi, there! Thank you for showing interest in my page. My name is Gilma Portela and I am founder of Mindprepco. At a very young age I found that my passion is working with children and watching them excel in things they thought they could never do. When I was in 9th grade I stared working for a non-profit called “Urban Promise Miami” and that's where I fell in love with working hands on with my community and children. In the summer of 2015, I decided to become an intern in Urban Promise Camden, NJ. It has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. I absolutely fell in love with the art of education even more. After my return, I started working for a charter school and absolutely loved that as well! Although, while working for the school system, I slowly started to realize that the higher your position, the less hands-on you are with children. In the summer of 2020, I interned in a country club working with children in Aspen, Colorado. I came back and decided to take my passion to a different level… so I quit my job working for the system late 2021 and started my business a few months after. It’s been such a great blessing getting to know my students a little more, having that one-on-one time with them, watching them excel, and catering to their needs. I look forward to watching them grow!
Urban Promise Miami
My classroom back in 2015 at Urban Promise Miami. So many great memories were shared in this classroom. Someone learned to read for the first time here. Someone felt what a real loving teacher actually is for the first time. All the activities my little ones experienced for the first time, from making "worms & dirt" to making ice cream from scratch to learning how to read and write. SO many "first times" in these four walls.
Camden, New Jersey
Some of my best days were spent with the most incredible people in Camden, NJ as an intern. I will forever be grateful for not just having the opportunity but for having the courage to seek out my passion and spread my love and knowledge to children in an area that lacks love. I remember back then telling myself that my only goal was to "plant my seed." Still to this day I keep in touch with my students in Camden and it's been the BIGGEST honor watching them grow. How lucky am I? That I get to call this my job.