Today, as the longtime principal of Burns Latino Studies Academy in Hartford, Connecticut, Victor Cristofaro attributes his good fortune to his mother's fortitude and ingenuity.
Immigrating permanently to the United States from Argentina, Giuseppina Cristofaro couldn't speak a word of English and had barely a penny in her pocket. Instead of staying with her late husband's family in Argentina or moving to be with her own family in Italy, she chose to come here, convinced that her two sons would have greater opportunities.
Giuseppina "Pina" Cristofaro was persuasive. Although they initially lived with her sister in another school district, she was determined to send her boys outside the district to Dwight School. The Dwight principal, Miss O'Connell, was so won over by Pina that she sent a taxi every morning to transport Victor and his brother, Dominick, to school. They soon found an apartment in the Dwight School zone, and Pina took a job as a cafeteria worker, then as a paraeducator.
"My mother basically sacrificed everything so we could succeed," Victor says.
Certain family friends motivated him, too, especially Daniel Camiliere, who owned the pharmacy where Victor worked.
"He would say, 'The winner always finds a way; the loser, an excuse.' And this has been my approach to life ever since."
Victor started out as a computer engineering major at the University of Connecticut. Deciding that was a bad fit, he transferred to the business program. Then, remembering how much he admired his high school counselor, Mr. Cross, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in family studies. Upon graduation, he found his way onto the waiting list for a position with the state's Department of Children and Families.
Meanwhile, his mother told him about a two-week substitute position in the district for a special education teacher who spoke Spanish. Victor was bilingual, but he didn't know anything about special education. A regular special education teacher showed him the ropes and had him read The Very Busy Spider to the students. He thought it was a "pretty dopey" book, but when he looked up, he saw all the children staring at him, enraptured and desperate to know what would happen next.
"I made up my mind there and then that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life," he says.
It was 1996, and that two-week job lasted two years. After earning a master's degree in special education from St. Joseph College, he taught special education in the Hartford Public Schools for eight years. Then, in 2004, he accepted a position as a math teacher at Morgan G. Bulkeley High School and stayed for four years.
Today, as the longtime principal of Burns Latino Studies Academy in Hartford, Connecticut, Victor Cristofaro attributes his good fortune to his mother's fortitude and ingenuity.
Immigrating permanently to the United States from Argentina, Giuseppina Cristofaro couldn't speak a word of English and had barely a penny in her pocket. Instead of staying with her late husband's family in Argentina or moving to be with her own family in Italy, she chose to come here, convinced that her two sons would have greater opportunities.
Giuseppina "Pina" Cristofaro was persuasive. Although they initially lived with her sister in another school district, she was determined to send her boys outside the district to Dwight School. The Dwight principal, Miss O'Connell, was so won over by Pina that she sent a taxi every morning to transport Victor and his brother, Dominick, to school. They soon found an apartment in the Dwight School zone, and Pina took a job as a cafeteria worker, then as a paraeducator.
"My mother basically sacrificed everything so we could succeed," Victor says.
Certain family friends motivated him, too, especially Daniel Camiliere, who owned the pharmacy where Victor worked.
"He would say, 'The winner always finds a way; the loser, an excuse.' And this has been my approach to life ever since."
Victor started out as a computer engineering major at the University of Connecticut. Deciding that was a bad fit, he transferred to the business program. Then, remembering how much he admired his high school counselor, Mr. Cross, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in family studies. Upon graduation, he found his way onto the waiting list for a position with the state's Department of Children and Families.
Meanwhile, his mother told him about a two-week substitute position in the district for a special education teacher who spoke Spanish. Victor was bilingual, but he didn't know anything about special education. A regular special education teacher showed him the ropes and had him read The Very Busy Spider to the students. He thought it was a "pretty dopey" book, but when he looked up, he saw all the children staring at him, enraptured and desperate to know what would happen next.
"I made up my mind there and then that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life," he says.
It was 1996, and that two-week job lasted two years. After earning a master's degree in special education from St. Joseph College, he taught special education in the Hartford Public Schools for eight years. Then, in 2004, he accepted a position as a math teacher at Morgan G. Bulkeley High School and stayed for four years.
Today, as the longtime principal of Burns Latino Studies Academy in Hartford, Connecticut, Victor Cristofaro attributes his good fortune to his mother's fortitude and ingenuity.
Immigrating permanently to the United States from Argentina, Giuseppina Cristofaro couldn't speak a word of English and had barely a penny in her pocket. Instead of staying with her late husband's family in Argentina or moving to be with her own family in Italy, she chose to come here, convinced that her two sons would have greater opportunities.
Giuseppina "Pina" Cristofaro was persuasive. Although they initially lived with her sister in another school district, she was determined to send her boys outside the district to Dwight School. The Dwight principal, Miss O'Connell, was so won over by Pina that she sent a taxi every morning to transport Victor and his brother, Dominick, to school. They soon found an apartment in the Dwight School zone, and Pina took a job as a cafeteria worker, then as a paraeducator.
"My mother basically sacrificed everything so we could succeed," Victor says.
Certain family friends motivated him, too, especially Daniel Camiliere, who owned the pharmacy where Victor worked.
"He would say, 'The winner always finds a way; the loser, an excuse.' And this has been my approach to life ever since."
Victor started out as a computer engineering major at the University of Connecticut. Deciding that was a bad fit, he transferred to the business program. Then, remembering how much he admired his high school counselor, Mr. Cross, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in family studies. Upon graduation, he found his way onto the waiting list for a position with the state's Department of Children and Families.
Meanwhile, his mother told him about a two-week substitute position in the district for a special education teacher who spoke Spanish. Victor was bilingual, but he didn't know anything about special education. A regular special education teacher showed him the ropes and had him read The Very Busy Spider to the students. He thought it was a "pretty dopey" book, but when he looked up, he saw all the children staring at him, enraptured and desperate to know what would happen next.
"I made up my mind there and then that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life," he says.
It was 1996, and that two-week job lasted two years. After earning a master's degree in special education from St. Joseph College, he taught special education in the Hartford Public Schools for eight years. Then, in 2004, he accepted a position as a math teacher at Morgan G. Bulkeley High School and stayed for four years.
Today, as the longtime principal of Burns Latino Studies Academy in Hartford, Connecticut, Victor Cristofaro attributes his good fortune to his mother's fortitude and ingenuity.
Immigrating permanently to the United States from Argentina, Giuseppina Cristofaro couldn't speak a word of English and had barely a penny in her pocket. Instead of staying with her late husband's family in Argentina or moving to be with her own family in Italy, she chose to come here, convinced that her two sons would have greater opportunities.
Giuseppina "Pina" Cristofaro was persuasive. Although they initially lived with her sister in another school district, she was determined to send her boys outside the district to Dwight School. The Dwight principal, Miss O'Connell, was so won over by Pina that she sent a taxi every morning to transport Victor and his brother, Dominick, to school. They soon found an apartment in the Dwight School zone, and Pina took a job as a cafeteria worker, then as a paraeducator.
"My mother basically sacrificed everything so we could succeed," Victor says.
Certain family friends motivated him, too, especially Daniel Camiliere, who owned the pharmacy where Victor worked.
"He would say, 'The winner always finds a way; the loser, an excuse.' And this has been my approach to life ever since."
Victor started out as a computer engineering major at the University of Connecticut. Deciding that was a bad fit, he transferred to the business program. Then, remembering how much he admired his high school counselor, Mr. Cross, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in family studies. Upon graduation, he found his way onto the waiting list for a position with the state's Department of Children and Families.
Meanwhile, his mother told him about a two-week substitute position in the district for a special education teacher who spoke Spanish. Victor was bilingual, but he didn't know anything about special education. A regular special education teacher showed him the ropes and had him read The Very Busy Spider to the students. He thought it was a "pretty dopey" book, but when he looked up, he saw all the children staring at him, enraptured and desperate to know what would happen next.
"I made up my mind there and then that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life," he says.
It was 1996, and that two-week job lasted two years. After earning a master's degree in special education from St. Joseph College, he taught special education in the Hartford Public Schools for eight years. Then, in 2004, he accepted a position as a math teacher at Morgan G. Bulkeley High School and stayed for four years.
Today, as the longtime principal of Burns Latino Studies Academy in Hartford, Connecticut, Victor Cristofaro attributes his good fortune to his mother's fortitude and ingenuity.
Immigrating permanently to the United States from Argentina, Giuseppina Cristofaro couldn't speak a word of English and had barely a penny in her pocket. Instead of staying with her late husband's family in Argentina or moving to be with her own family in Italy, she chose to come here, convinced that her two sons would have greater opportunities.
Giuseppina "Pina" Cristofaro was persuasive. Although they initially lived with her sister in another school district, she was determined to send her boys outside the district to Dwight School. The Dwight principal, Miss O'Connell, was so won over by Pina that she sent a taxi every morning to transport Victor and his brother, Dominick, to school. They soon found an apartment in the Dwight School zone, and Pina took a job as a cafeteria worker, then as a paraeducator.
"My mother basically sacrificed everything so we could succeed," Victor says.
Certain family friends motivated him, too, especially Daniel Camiliere, who owned the pharmacy where Victor worked.
"He would say, 'The winner always finds a way; the loser, an excuse.' And this has been my approach to life ever since."
Victor started out as a computer engineering major at the University of Connecticut. Deciding that was a bad fit, he transferred to the business program. Then, remembering how much he admired his high school counselor, Mr. Cross, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in family studies. Upon graduation, he found his way onto the waiting list for a position with the state's Department of Children and Families.
Meanwhile, his mother told him about a two-week substitute position in the district for a special education teacher who spoke Spanish. Victor was bilingual, but he didn't know anything about special education. A regular special education teacher showed him the ropes and had him read The Very Busy Spider to the students. He thought it was a "pretty dopey" book, but when he looked up, he saw all the children staring at him, enraptured and desperate to know what would happen next.
"I made up my mind there and then that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life," he says.
It was 1996, and that two-week job lasted two years. After earning a master's degree in special education from St. Joseph College, he taught special education in the Hartford Public Schools for eight years. Then, in 2004, he accepted a position as a math teacher at Morgan G. Bulkeley High School and stayed for four years.
Today, as the longtime principal of Burns Latino Studies Academy in Hartford, Connecticut, Victor Cristofaro attributes his good fortune to his mother's fortitude and ingenuity.
Immigrating permanently to the United States from Argentina, Giuseppina Cristofaro couldn't speak a word of English and had barely a penny in her pocket. Instead of staying with her late husband's family in Argentina or moving to be with her own family in Italy, she chose to come here, convinced that her two sons would have greater opportunities.
Giuseppina "Pina" Cristofaro was persuasive. Although they initially lived with her sister in another school district, she was determined to send her boys outside the district to Dwight School. The Dwight principal, Miss O'Connell, was so won over by Pina that she sent a taxi every morning to transport Victor and his brother, Dominick, to school. They soon found an apartment in the Dwight School zone, and Pina took a job as a cafeteria worker, then as a paraeducator.
"My mother basically sacrificed everything so we could succeed," Victor says.
Certain family friends motivated him, too, especially Daniel Camiliere, who owned the pharmacy where Victor worked.
"He would say, 'The winner always finds a way; the loser, an excuse.' And this has been my approach to life ever since."
Victor started out as a computer engineering major at the University of Connecticut. Deciding that was a bad fit, he transferred to the business program. Then, remembering how much he admired his high school counselor, Mr. Cross, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in family studies. Upon graduation, he found his way onto the waiting list for a position with the state's Department of Children and Families.
Meanwhile, his mother told him about a two-week substitute position in the district for a special education teacher who spoke Spanish. Victor was bilingual, but he didn't know anything about special education. A regular special education teacher showed him the ropes and had him read The Very Busy Spider to the students. He thought it was a "pretty dopey" book, but when he looked up, he saw all the children staring at him, enraptured and desperate to know what would happen next.
"I made up my mind there and then that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life," he says.
It was 1996, and that two-week job lasted two years. After earning a master's degree in special education from St. Joseph College, he taught special education in the Hartford Public Schools for eight years. Then, in 2004, he accepted a position as a math teacher at Morgan G. Bulkeley High School and stayed for four years.
Today, as the longtime principal of Burns Latino Studies Academy in Hartford, Connecticut, Victor Cristofaro attributes his good fortune to his mother's fortitude and ingenuity.
Immigrating permanently to the United States from Argentina, Giuseppina Cristofaro couldn't speak a word of English and had barely a penny in her pocket. Instead of staying with her late husband's family in Argentina or moving to be with her own family in Italy, she chose to come here, convinced that her two sons would have greater opportunities.
Giuseppina "Pina" Cristofaro was persuasive. Although they initially lived with her sister in another school district, she was determined to send her boys outside the district to Dwight School. The Dwight principal, Miss O'Connell, was so won over by Pina that she sent a taxi every morning to transport Victor and his brother, Dominick, to school. They soon found an apartment in the Dwight School zone, and Pina took a job as a cafeteria worker, then as a paraeducator.
"My mother basically sacrificed everything so we could succeed," Victor says.
Certain family friends motivated him, too, especially Daniel Camiliere, who owned the pharmacy where Victor worked.
"He would say, 'The winner always finds a way; the loser, an excuse.' And this has been my approach to life ever since."
Victor started out as a computer engineering major at the University of Connecticut. Deciding that was a bad fit, he transferred to the business program. Then, remembering how much he admired his high school counselor, Mr. Cross, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in family studies. Upon graduation, he found his way onto the waiting list for a position with the state's Department of Children and Families.
Meanwhile, his mother told him about a two-week substitute position in the district for a special education teacher who spoke Spanish. Victor was bilingual, but he didn't know anything about special education. A regular special education teacher showed him the ropes and had him read The Very Busy Spider to the students. He thought it was a "pretty dopey" book, but when he looked up, he saw all the children staring at him, enraptured and desperate to know what would happen next.
"I made up my mind there and then that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life," he says.
It was 1996, and that two-week job lasted two years. After earning a master's degree in special education from St. Joseph College, he taught special education in the Hartford Public Schools for eight years. Then, in 2004, he accepted a position as a math teacher at Morgan G. Bulkeley High School and stayed for four years.
Today, as the longtime principal of Burns Latino Studies Academy in Hartford, Connecticut, Victor Cristofaro attributes his good fortune to his mother's fortitude and ingenuity.
Immigrating permanently to the United States from Argentina, Giuseppina Cristofaro couldn't speak a word of English and had barely a penny in her pocket. Instead of staying with her late husband's family in Argentina or moving to be with her own family in Italy, she chose to come here, convinced that her two sons would have greater opportunities.
Giuseppina "Pina" Cristofaro was persuasive. Although they initially lived with her sister in another school district, she was determined to send her boys outside the district to Dwight School. The Dwight principal, Miss O'Connell, was so won over by Pina that she sent a taxi every morning to transport Victor and his brother, Dominick, to school. They soon found an apartment in the Dwight School zone, and Pina took a job as a cafeteria worker, then as a paraeducator.
"My mother basically sacrificed everything so we could succeed," Victor says.
Certain family friends motivated him, too, especially Daniel Camiliere, who owned the pharmacy where Victor worked.
"He would say, 'The winner always finds a way; the loser, an excuse.' And this has been my approach to life ever since."
Victor started out as a computer engineering major at the University of Connecticut. Deciding that was a bad fit, he transferred to the business program. Then, remembering how much he admired his high school counselor, Mr. Cross, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in family studies. Upon graduation, he found his way onto the waiting list for a position with the state's Department of Children and Families.
Meanwhile, his mother told him about a two-week substitute position in the district for a special education teacher who spoke Spanish. Victor was bilingual, but he didn't know anything about special education. A regular special education teacher showed him the ropes and had him read The Very Busy Spider to the students. He thought it was a "pretty dopey" book, but when he looked up, he saw all the children staring at him, enraptured and desperate to know what would happen next.
"I made up my mind there and then that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life," he says.
It was 1996, and that two-week job lasted two years. After earning a master's degree in special education from St. Joseph College, he taught special education in the Hartford Public Schools for eight years. Then, in 2004, he accepted a position as a math teacher at Morgan G. Bulkeley High School and stayed for four years.
Today, as the longtime principal of Burns Latino Studies Academy in Hartford, Connecticut, Victor Cristofaro attributes his good fortune to his mother's fortitude and ingenuity.
Immigrating permanently to the United States from Argentina, Giuseppina Cristofaro couldn't speak a word of English and had barely a penny in her pocket. Instead of staying with her late husband's family in Argentina or moving to be with her own family in Italy, she chose to come here, convinced that her two sons would have greater opportunities.
Giuseppina "Pina" Cristofaro was persuasive. Although they initially lived with her sister in another school district, she was determined to send her boys outside the district to Dwight School. The Dwight principal, Miss O'Connell, was so won over by Pina that she sent a taxi every morning to transport Victor and his brother, Dominick, to school. They soon found an apartment in the Dwight School zone, and Pina took a job as a cafeteria worker, then as a paraeducator.
"My mother basically sacrificed everything so we could succeed," Victor says.
Certain family friends motivated him, too, especially Daniel Camiliere, who owned the pharmacy where Victor worked.
"He would say, 'The winner always finds a way; the loser, an excuse.' And this has been my approach to life ever since."
Victor started out as a computer engineering major at the University of Connecticut. Deciding that was a bad fit, he transferred to the business program. Then, remembering how much he admired his high school counselor, Mr. Cross, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in family studies. Upon graduation, he found his way onto the waiting list for a position with the state's Department of Children and Families.
Meanwhile, his mother told him about a two-week substitute position in the district for a special education teacher who spoke Spanish. Victor was bilingual, but he didn't know anything about special education. A regular special education teacher showed him the ropes and had him read The Very Busy Spider to the students. He thought it was a "pretty dopey" book, but when he looked up, he saw all the children staring at him, enraptured and desperate to know what would happen next.
"I made up my mind there and then that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life," he says.
It was 1996, and that two-week job lasted two years. After earning a master's degree in special education from St. Joseph College, he taught special education in the Hartford Public Schools for eight years. Then, in 2004, he accepted a position as a math teacher at Morgan G. Bulkeley High School and stayed for four years.
Today, as the longtime principal of Burns Latino Studies Academy in Hartford, Connecticut, Victor Cristofaro attributes his good fortune to his mother's fortitude and ingenuity.
Immigrating permanently to the United States from Argentina, Giuseppina Cristofaro couldn't speak a word of English and had barely a penny in her pocket. Instead of staying with her late husband's family in Argentina or moving to be with her own family in Italy, she chose to come here, convinced that her two sons would have greater opportunities.
Giuseppina "Pina" Cristofaro was persuasive. Although they initially lived with her sister in another school district, she was determined to send her boys outside the district to Dwight School. The Dwight principal, Miss O'Connell, was so won over by Pina that she sent a taxi every morning to transport Victor and his brother, Dominick, to school. They soon found an apartment in the Dwight School zone, and Pina took a job as a cafeteria worker, then as a paraeducator.
"My mother basically sacrificed everything so we could succeed," Victor says.
Certain family friends motivated him, too, especially Daniel Camiliere, who owned the pharmacy where Victor worked.
"He would say, 'The winner always finds a way; the loser, an excuse.' And this has been my approach to life ever since."
Victor started out as a computer engineering major at the University of Connecticut. Deciding that was a bad fit, he transferred to the business program. Then, remembering how much he admired his high school counselor, Mr. Cross, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in family studies. Upon graduation, he found his way onto the waiting list for a position with the state's Department of Children and Families.
Meanwhile, his mother told him about a two-week substitute position in the district for a special education teacher who spoke Spanish. Victor was bilingual, but he didn't know anything about special education. A regular special education teacher showed him the ropes and had him read The Very Busy Spider to the students. He thought it was a "pretty dopey" book, but when he looked up, he saw all the children staring at him, enraptured and desperate to know what would happen next.
"I made up my mind there and then that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life," he says.
It was 1996, and that two-week job lasted two years. After earning a master's degree in special education from St. Joseph College, he taught special education in the Hartford Public Schools for eight years. Then, in 2004, he accepted a position as a math teacher at Morgan G. Bulkeley High School and stayed for four years.
Today, as the longtime principal of Burns Latino Studies Academy in Hartford, Connecticut, Victor Cristofaro attributes his good fortune to his mother's fortitude and ingenuity.
Immigrating permanently to the United States from Argentina, Giuseppina Cristofaro couldn't speak a word of English and had barely a penny in her pocket. Instead of staying with her late husband's family in Argentina or moving to be with her own family in Italy, she chose to come here, convinced that her two sons would have greater opportunities.
Giuseppina "Pina" Cristofaro was persuasive. Although they initially lived with her sister in another school district, she was determined to send her boys outside the district to Dwight School. The Dwight principal, Miss O'Connell, was so won over by Pina that she sent a taxi every morning to transport Victor and his brother, Dominick, to school. They soon found an apartment in the Dwight School zone, and Pina took a job as a cafeteria worker, then as a paraeducator.
"My mother basically sacrificed everything so we could succeed," Victor says.
Certain family friends motivated him, too, especially Daniel Camiliere, who owned the pharmacy where Victor worked.
"He would say, 'The winner always finds a way; the loser, an excuse.' And this has been my approach to life ever since."
Victor started out as a computer engineering major at the University of Connecticut. Deciding that was a bad fit, he transferred to the business program. Then, remembering how much he admired his high school counselor, Mr. Cross, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in family studies. Upon graduation, he found his way onto the waiting list for a position with the state's Department of Children and Families.
Meanwhile, his mother told him about a two-week substitute position in the district for a special education teacher who spoke Spanish. Victor was bilingual, but he didn't know anything about special education. A regular special education teacher showed him the ropes and had him read The Very Busy Spider to the students. He thought it was a "pretty dopey" book, but when he looked up, he saw all the children staring at him, enraptured and desperate to know what would happen next.
"I made up my mind there and then that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life," he says.
It was 1996, and that two-week job lasted two years. After earning a master's degree in special education from St. Joseph College, he taught special education in the Hartford Public Schools for eight years. Then, in 2004, he accepted a position as a math teacher at Morgan G. Bulkeley High School and stayed for four years.
Today, as the longtime principal of Burns Latino Studies Academy in Hartford, Connecticut, Victor Cristofaro attributes his good fortune to his mother's fortitude and ingenuity.
Immigrating permanently to the United States from Argentina, Giuseppina Cristofaro couldn't speak a word of English and had barely a penny in her pocket. Instead of staying with her late husband's family in Argentina or moving to be with her own family in Italy, she chose to come here, convinced that her two sons would have greater opportunities.
Giuseppina "Pina" Cristofaro was persuasive. Although they initially lived with her sister in another school district, she was determined to send her boys outside the district to Dwight School. The Dwight principal, Miss O'Connell, was so won over by Pina that she sent a taxi every morning to transport Victor and his brother, Dominick, to school. They soon found an apartment in the Dwight School zone, and Pina took a job as a cafeteria worker, then as a paraeducator.
"My mother basically sacrificed everything so we could succeed," Victor says.
Certain family friends motivated him, too, especially Daniel Camiliere, who owned the pharmacy where Victor worked.
"He would say, 'The winner always finds a way; the loser, an excuse.' And this has been my approach to life ever since."
Victor started out as a computer engineering major at the University of Connecticut. Deciding that was a bad fit, he transferred to the business program. Then, remembering how much he admired his high school counselor, Mr. Cross, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in family studies. Upon graduation, he found his way onto the waiting list for a position with the state's Department of Children and Families.
Meanwhile, his mother told him about a two-week substitute position in the district for a special education teacher who spoke Spanish. Victor was bilingual, but he didn't know anything about special education. A regular special education teacher showed him the ropes and had him read The Very Busy Spider to the students. He thought it was a "pretty dopey" book, but when he looked up, he saw all the children staring at him, enraptured and desperate to know what would happen next.
"I made up my mind there and then that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life," he says.
It was 1996, and that two-week job lasted two years. After earning a master's degree in special education from St. Joseph College, he taught special education in the Hartford Public Schools for eight years. Then, in 2004, he accepted a position as a math teacher at Morgan G. Bulkeley High School and stayed for four years.
Today, as the longtime principal of Burns Latino Studies Academy in Hartford, Connecticut, Victor Cristofaro attributes his good fortune to his mother's fortitude and ingenuity.
Immigrating permanently to the United States from Argentina, Giuseppina Cristofaro couldn't speak a word of English and had barely a penny in her pocket. Instead of staying with her late husband's family in Argentina or moving to be with her own family in Italy, she chose to come here, convinced that her two sons would have greater opportunities.
Giuseppina "Pina" Cristofaro was persuasive. Although they initially lived with her sister in another school district, she was determined to send her boys outside the district to Dwight School. The Dwight principal, Miss O'Connell, was so won over by Pina that she sent a taxi every morning to transport Victor and his brother, Dominick, to school. They soon found an apartment in the Dwight School zone, and Pina took a job as a cafeteria worker, then as a paraeducator.
"My mother basically sacrificed everything so we could succeed," Victor says.
Certain family friends motivated him, too, especially Daniel Camiliere, who owned the pharmacy where Victor worked.
"He would say, 'The winner always finds a way; the loser, an excuse.' And this has been my approach to life ever since."
Victor started out as a computer engineering major at the University of Connecticut. Deciding that was a bad fit, he transferred to the business program. Then, remembering how much he admired his high school counselor, Mr. Cross, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in family studies. Upon graduation, he found his way onto the waiting list for a position with the state's Department of Children and Families.
Meanwhile, his mother told him about a two-week substitute position in the district for a special education teacher who spoke Spanish. Victor was bilingual, but he didn't know anything about special education. A regular special education teacher showed him the ropes and had him read The Very Busy Spider to the students. He thought it was a "pretty dopey" book, but when he looked up, he saw all the children staring at him, enraptured and desperate to know what would happen next.
"I made up my mind there and then that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life," he says.
It was 1996, and that two-week job lasted two years. After earning a master's degree in special education from St. Joseph College, he taught special education in the Hartford Public Schools for eight years. Then, in 2004, he accepted a position as a math teacher at Morgan G. Bulkeley High School and stayed for four years.
Today, as the longtime principal of Burns Latino Studies Academy in Hartford, Connecticut, Victor Cristofaro attributes his good fortune to his mother's fortitude and ingenuity.
Immigrating permanently to the United States from Argentina, Giuseppina Cristofaro couldn't speak a word of English and had barely a penny in her pocket. Instead of staying with her late husband's family in Argentina or moving to be with her own family in Italy, she chose to come here, convinced that her two sons would have greater opportunities.
Giuseppina "Pina" Cristofaro was persuasive. Although they initially lived with her sister in another school district, she was determined to send her boys outside the district to Dwight School. The Dwight principal, Miss O'Connell, was so won over by Pina that she sent a taxi every morning to transport Victor and his brother, Dominick, to school. They soon found an apartment in the Dwight School zone, and Pina took a job as a cafeteria worker, then as a paraeducator.
"My mother basically sacrificed everything so we could succeed," Victor says.
Certain family friends motivated him, too, especially Daniel Camiliere, who owned the pharmacy where Victor worked.
"He would say, 'The winner always finds a way; the loser, an excuse.' And this has been my approach to life ever since."
Victor started out as a computer engineering major at the University of Connecticut. Deciding that was a bad fit, he transferred to the business program. Then, remembering how much he admired his high school counselor, Mr. Cross, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in family studies. Upon graduation, he found his way onto the waiting list for a position with the state's Department of Children and Families.
Meanwhile, his mother told him about a two-week substitute position in the district for a special education teacher who spoke Spanish. Victor was bilingual, but he didn't know anything about special education. A regular special education teacher showed him the ropes and had him read The Very Busy Spider to the students. He thought it was a "pretty dopey" book, but when he looked up, he saw all the children staring at him, enraptured and desperate to know what would happen next.
"I made up my mind there and then that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life," he says.
It was 1996, and that two-week job lasted two years. After earning a master's degree in special education from St. Joseph College, he taught special education in the Hartford Public Schools for eight years. Then, in 2004, he accepted a position as a math teacher at Morgan G. Bulkeley High School and stayed for four years.
Today, as the longtime principal of Burns Latino Studies Academy in Hartford, Connecticut, Victor Cristofaro attributes his good fortune to his mother's fortitude and ingenuity.
Immigrating permanently to the United States from Argentina, Giuseppina Cristofaro couldn't speak a word of English and had barely a penny in her pocket. Instead of staying with her late husband's family in Argentina or moving to be with her own family in Italy, she chose to come here, convinced that her two sons would have greater opportunities.
Giuseppina "Pina" Cristofaro was persuasive. Although they initially lived with her sister in another school district, she was determined to send her boys outside the district to Dwight School. The Dwight principal, Miss O'Connell, was so won over by Pina that she sent a taxi every morning to transport Victor and his brother, Dominick, to school. They soon found an apartment in the Dwight School zone, and Pina took a job as a cafeteria worker, then as a paraeducator.
"My mother basically sacrificed everything so we could succeed," Victor says.
Certain family friends motivated him, too, especially Daniel Camiliere, who owned the pharmacy where Victor worked.
"He would say, 'The winner always finds a way; the loser, an excuse.' And this has been my approach to life ever since."
Victor started out as a computer engineering major at the University of Connecticut. Deciding that was a bad fit, he transferred to the business program. Then, remembering how much he admired his high school counselor, Mr. Cross, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in family studies. Upon graduation, he found his way onto the waiting list for a position with the state's Department of Children and Families.
Meanwhile, his mother told him about a two-week substitute position in the district for a special education teacher who spoke Spanish. Victor was bilingual, but he didn't know anything about special education. A regular special education teacher showed him the ropes and had him read The Very Busy Spider to the students. He thought it was a "pretty dopey" book, but when he looked up, he saw all the children staring at him, enraptured and desperate to know what would happen next.
"I made up my mind there and then that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life," he says.
It was 1996, and that two-week job lasted two years. After earning a master's degree in special education from St. Joseph College, he taught special education in the Hartford Public Schools for eight years. Then, in 2004, he accepted a position as a math teacher at Morgan G. Bulkeley High School and stayed for four years.
Today, as the longtime principal of Burns Latino Studies Academy in Hartford, Connecticut, Victor Cristofaro attributes his good fortune to his mother's fortitude and ingenuity.
Immigrating permanently to the United States from Argentina, Giuseppina Cristofaro couldn't speak a word of English and had barely a penny in her pocket. Instead of staying with her late husband's family in Argentina or moving to be with her own family in Italy, she chose to come here, convinced that her two sons would have greater opportunities.
Giuseppina "Pina" Cristofaro was persuasive. Although they initially lived with her sister in another school district, she was determined to send her boys outside the district to Dwight School. The Dwight principal, Miss O'Connell, was so won over by Pina that she sent a taxi every morning to transport Victor and his brother, Dominick, to school. They soon found an apartment in the Dwight School zone, and Pina took a job as a cafeteria worker, then as a paraeducator.
"My mother basically sacrificed everything so we could succeed," Victor says.
Certain family friends motivated him, too, especially Daniel Camiliere, who owned the pharmacy where Victor worked.
"He would say, 'The winner always finds a way; the loser, an excuse.' And this has been my approach to life ever since."
Victor started out as a computer engineering major at the University of Connecticut. Deciding that was a bad fit, he transferred to the business program. Then, remembering how much he admired his high school counselor, Mr. Cross, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in family studies. Upon graduation, he found his way onto the waiting list for a position with the state's Department of Children and Families.
Meanwhile, his mother told him about a two-week substitute position in the district for a special education teacher who spoke Spanish. Victor was bilingual, but he didn't know anything about special education. A regular special education teacher showed him the ropes and had him read The Very Busy Spider to the students. He thought it was a "pretty dopey" book, but when he looked up, he saw all the children staring at him, enraptured and desperate to know what would happen next.
"I made up my mind there and then that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life," he says.
It was 1996, and that two-week job lasted two years. After earning a master's degree in special education from St. Joseph College, he taught special education in the Hartford Public Schools for eight years. Then, in 2004, he accepted a position as a math teacher at Morgan G. Bulkeley High School and stayed for four years.
Today, as the longtime principal of Burns Latino Studies Academy in Hartford, Connecticut, Victor Cristofaro attributes his good fortune to his mother's fortitude and ingenuity.
Immigrating permanently to the United States from Argentina, Giuseppina Cristofaro couldn't speak a word of English and had barely a penny in her pocket. Instead of staying with her late husband's family in Argentina or moving to be with her own family in Italy, she chose to come here, convinced that her two sons would have greater opportunities.
Giuseppina "Pina" Cristofaro was persuasive. Although they initially lived with her sister in another school district, she was determined to send her boys outside the district to Dwight School. The Dwight principal, Miss O'Connell, was so won over by Pina that she sent a taxi every morning to transport Victor and his brother, Dominick, to school. They soon found an apartment in the Dwight School zone, and Pina took a job as a cafeteria worker, then as a paraeducator.
"My mother basically sacrificed everything so we could succeed," Victor says.
Certain family friends motivated him, too, especially Daniel Camiliere, who owned the pharmacy where Victor worked.
"He would say, 'The winner always finds a way; the loser, an excuse.' And this has been my approach to life ever since."
Victor started out as a computer engineering major at the University of Connecticut. Deciding that was a bad fit, he transferred to the business program. Then, remembering how much he admired his high school counselor, Mr. Cross, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in family studies. Upon graduation, he found his way onto the waiting list for a position with the state's Department of Children and Families.
Meanwhile, his mother told him about a two-week substitute position in the district for a special education teacher who spoke Spanish. Victor was bilingual, but he didn't know anything about special education. A regular special education teacher showed him the ropes and had him read The Very Busy Spider to the students. He thought it was a "pretty dopey" book, but when he looked up, he saw all the children staring at him, enraptured and desperate to know what would happen next.
"I made up my mind there and then that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life," he says.
It was 1996, and that two-week job lasted two years. After earning a master's degree in special education from St. Joseph College, he taught special education in the Hartford Public Schools for eight years. Then, in 2004, he accepted a position as a math teacher at Morgan G. Bulkeley High School and stayed for four years.
Today, as the longtime principal of Burns Latino Studies Academy in Hartford, Connecticut, Victor Cristofaro attributes his good fortune to his mother's fortitude and ingenuity.
Immigrating permanently to the United States from Argentina, Giuseppina Cristofaro couldn't speak a word of English and had barely a penny in her pocket. Instead of staying with her late husband's family in Argentina or moving to be with her own family in Italy, she chose to come here, convinced that her two sons would have greater opportunities.
Giuseppina "Pina" Cristofaro was persuasive. Although they initially lived with her sister in another school district, she was determined to send her boys outside the district to Dwight School. The Dwight principal, Miss O'Connell, was so won over by Pina that she sent a taxi every morning to transport Victor and his brother, Dominick, to school. They soon found an apartment in the Dwight School zone, and Pina took a job as a cafeteria worker, then as a paraeducator.
"My mother basically sacrificed everything so we could succeed," Victor says.
Certain family friends motivated him, too, especially Daniel Camiliere, who owned the pharmacy where Victor worked.
"He would say, 'The winner always finds a way; the loser, an excuse.' And this has been my approach to life ever since."
Victor started out as a computer engineering major at the University of Connecticut. Deciding that was a bad fit, he transferred to the business program. Then, remembering how much he admired his high school counselor, Mr. Cross, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in family studies. Upon graduation, he found his way onto the waiting list for a position with the state's Department of Children and Families.
Meanwhile, his mother told him about a two-week substitute position in the district for a special education teacher who spoke Spanish. Victor was bilingual, but he didn't know anything about special education. A regular special education teacher showed him the ropes and had him read The Very Busy Spider to the students. He thought it was a "pretty dopey" book, but when he looked up, he saw all the children staring at him, enraptured and desperate to know what would happen next.
"I made up my mind there and then that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life," he says.
It was 1996, and that two-week job lasted two years. After earning a master's degree in special education from St. Joseph College, he taught special education in the Hartford Public Schools for eight years. Then, in 2004, he accepted a position as a math teacher at Morgan G. Bulkeley High School and stayed for four years.
Today, as the longtime principal of Burns Latino Studies Academy in Hartford, Connecticut, Victor Cristofaro attributes his good fortune to his mother's fortitude and ingenuity.
Immigrating permanently to the United States from Argentina, Giuseppina Cristofaro couldn't speak a word of English and had barely a penny in her pocket. Instead of staying with her late husband's family in Argentina or moving to be with her own family in Italy, she chose to come here, convinced that her two sons would have greater opportunities.
Giuseppina "Pina" Cristofaro was persuasive. Although they initially lived with her sister in another school district, she was determined to send her boys outside the district to Dwight School. The Dwight principal, Miss O'Connell, was so won over by Pina that she sent a taxi every morning to transport Victor and his brother, Dominick, to school. They soon found an apartment in the Dwight School zone, and Pina took a job as a cafeteria worker, then as a paraeducator.
"My mother basically sacrificed everything so we could succeed," Victor says.
Certain family friends motivated him, too, especially Daniel Camiliere, who owned the pharmacy where Victor worked.
"He would say, 'The winner always finds a way; the loser, an excuse.' And this has been my approach to life ever since."
Victor started out as a computer engineering major at the University of Connecticut. Deciding that was a bad fit, he transferred to the business program. Then, remembering how much he admired his high school counselor, Mr. Cross, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in family studies. Upon graduation, he found his way onto the waiting list for a position with the state's Department of Children and Families.
Meanwhile, his mother told him about a two-week substitute position in the district for a special education teacher who spoke Spanish. Victor was bilingual, but he didn't know anything about special education. A regular special education teacher showed him the ropes and had him read The Very Busy Spider to the students. He thought it was a "pretty dopey" book, but when he looked up, he saw all the children staring at him, enraptured and desperate to know what would happen next.
"I made up my mind there and then that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life," he says.
It was 1996, and that two-week job lasted two years. After earning a master's degree in special education from St. Joseph College, he taught special education in the Hartford Public Schools for eight years. Then, in 2004, he accepted a position as a math teacher at Morgan G. Bulkeley High School and stayed for four years.
Today, as the longtime principal of Burns Latino Studies Academy in Hartford, Connecticut, Victor Cristofaro attributes his good fortune to his mother's fortitude and ingenuity.
Immigrating permanently to the United States from Argentina, Giuseppina Cristofaro couldn't speak a word of English and had barely a penny in her pocket. Instead of staying with her late husband's family in Argentina or moving to be with her own family in Italy, she chose to come here, convinced that her two sons would have greater opportunities.
Giuseppina "Pina" Cristofaro was persuasive. Although they initially lived with her sister in another school district, she was determined to send her boys outside the district to Dwight School. The Dwight principal, Miss O'Connell, was so won over by Pina that she sent a taxi every morning to transport Victor and his brother, Dominick, to school. They soon found an apartment in the Dwight School zone, and Pina took a job as a cafeteria worker, then as a paraeducator.
"My mother basically sacrificed everything so we could succeed," Victor says.
Certain family friends motivated him, too, especially Daniel Camiliere, who owned the pharmacy where Victor worked.
"He would say, 'The winner always finds a way; the loser, an excuse.' And this has been my approach to life ever since."
Victor started out as a computer engineering major at the University of Connecticut. Deciding that was a bad fit, he transferred to the business program. Then, remembering how much he admired his high school counselor, Mr. Cross, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in family studies. Upon graduation, he found his way onto the waiting list for a position with the state's Department of Children and Families.
Meanwhile, his mother told him about a two-week substitute position in the district for a special education teacher who spoke Spanish. Victor was bilingual, but he didn't know anything about special education. A regular special education teacher showed him the ropes and had him read The Very Busy Spider to the students. He thought it was a "pretty dopey" book, but when he looked up, he saw all the children staring at him, enraptured and desperate to know what would happen next.
"I made up my mind there and then that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life," he says.
It was 1996, and that two-week job lasted two years. After earning a master's degree in special education from St. Joseph College, he taught special education in the Hartford Public Schools for eight years. Then, in 2004, he accepted a position as a math teacher at Morgan G. Bulkeley High School and stayed for four years.
