At Sylvan Rodriguez Elementary in Gulfton, fifth-grade math teacher Christian Ramos is doing more than teaching equations, he’s teaching his students to believe in what’s possible.
“I can help them see that their effort matters,” Ramos said. “No matter the circumstances they’re facing, they’re capable of doing amazing things.”
Ramos’ message is deeply personal. He grew up moving between Texas and Mexico, shaped early on by poverty and instability. Eventually, he returned to Texas alone, working, learning English, and holding tightly to a dream he refused to abandon: becoming a teacher.
“Education has been really important to me ever since I was little,” Ramos said. “I knew it was something I really valued.”
That belief carried him through multiple jobs, English classes at Houston Community College, and ultimately to the University of Houston, where he graduated as valedictorian.
Today, Ramos is in his fifth year of teaching and his 12th year serving the Gulfton community, the same community that once shaped him.
“Quitting is not in my DNA,” he said. “My mom showed me that.”
Inside his classroom, Ramos sees reflections of his own journey in the students he teaches, children navigating challenges similar to those he once faced.
“I see myself fighting for my students’ hope, their dreams, their potential, and their voice,” Ramos said.
Beyond the classroom, Ramos is also involved with Latinos for Education, an organization that supports Latino leaders in schools and advocates for student success. His mission extends far beyond test scores, it’s about opening doors and creating opportunity.
“For me, poverty made me feel lost,” Ramos said. “Education gave me back realizing my full potential, realizing that I’m capable of doing amazing things.”
When asked if education helped him flourish, Ramos didn’t hesitate.
“Yes, flourish,” he said. “Finding myself. It helped me shine.”
For Ramos, learning, and teaching, is transformative.
“Learning something you really love to do makes you become a better version of yourself,” he said. “And that’s so beautiful.”
From a child navigating two countries to a teacher shaping the next generation, Christian Ramos is proof that education, and community, can be a way out, and a way forward.