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Award Notification:  Ricardo Larios (OR '15)

Salem Social Studies Teacher Ricardo Larios Is OR Milken Educator

Social studies teacher Ricardo Larios is all about connecting with his students. Academically, he engages them by integrating current events like the Syrian conflict into history lessons. But Larios's passion for teaching also extends beyond the classroom. He helps kids with life and teaching skills in Teacher Cadets, a program to cultivate future educators, and Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) classes. Says Larios: "When I die, I want 10,000 people to show up at my funeral and be like, 'He changed my life.' "

The child of Mexican immigrants, Larios grew up in Salem and is the first in his family to go to college. "Events like this inspire our kids," he says. "This could be you one day. You've got to work hard and you never know where you could end up."