TOLLESON, AZ — "I dreamed of being a teacher, but never really thought I'd be a principal or a superintendent," said Dr. Lupita Hightower.
Dr. Hightower, the Superintendent of the Tolleson Elementary School District, says her goal was always to be inside a classroom, but her life had other plans.
As a woman Hispanic superintendent, she says she knows it is not a common path.
"Latinos are definitely under-represented in education," she says.
Even though Hispanics make up nearly 19% of the total U.S. population, just 2% of superintendents nationwide identify as Hispanic, according to new data from the School Superintendent Association.
It's a national trend that the City of Tolleson is bucking with not just one but two Hispanic superintendents; Dr. Hightower serves as the leader on the elementary side, while Nora Gutierrez serves on the high school side.
"I see a lot of myself in my students, in that many are first generation," said Dr. Gutierrez. "And when I say that it's not only the minority children of the district - it's all of the children in the district - and all does mean all."
Still, Gutierrez is well aware that representation matters.
"I am a very proud Latina and I'm a role model for Latino students and I know that...so when I have the opportunity les hablo en Español because I know that's a relationship that is immediate because they know I'm one of them," she added.
It doesn't mean the climb to the top is easy. Dr. Hightower remembers a specific example of discrimination she experienced in a different Valley school district.
"There were some very specific stories that were very painful," said Dr. Hightower. "When I first came to the Phoenix area, I had a principal that said they need people like me in their district."
That wasn't the only challenge, especially with certain levels of education still being dominated by men.
When asked about women in administration, Dr. Hightower said there are a lot of women teachers.
"Over 70% are female, but then when it comes to administration, that percentage flips."
"I think it's because so many of our supervisors are male that they have tended to tap on the shoulders of more males," explained Gutierrez. "I think as female leaders, we are now tapping the shoulders of more females."
These two superintendents are doing more than just tapping shoulders, they're walking side by side, building a bond that's also benefiting their students.
"What makes me the proudest is when a student comes back and shares their success," stated Dr. Hightower.
