Oh! Hello! It's me... Elbangelis Ortiz Morales. I was born one Thursday august 19, 1993 in Ponce, Puerto Rico. Actually, I live in Cayey where I study my Bachellor’s Degree at the University of Puerto Rico, Cayey campus. My parents are Ramon G. and Gloria. I have a younger sister, Elbamarie and a younger brother called Ramon Enrique.
Childhood and youth
Since I was a little girl I used to tell everyone all the new things I learned. I studied at Angélica Toro
Rodríguez Elemntary School where I won a local prize for the science fair and where I also participated at student clubs and organizations. Later on, I went to Carmen Salas de Torrado Middle School where I began to develop an interest for investigation. When I was in ninth grade I had my first investigation experience about the ocean currents. On the other hand, I also participated in art related activities that let students show their talents. Another of the interests I kept developing through my adolescence was caring and helping those with disabilities. I began learning Sign Language until I could do an oral presentation at my school about it. I graduated with honors from both elementary and middle School. Finally, I studied at Josefina Leon Zayas High School, where I continued following the same interests; art, investigation, and kids with disabilities, and it was there where I completed my high school graduating also with honors.
My college life
I began studying at the University of Puerto Rico in Cayey in august 2011when I was 17 years old. This represented a huge challenge at the beginning because it was a whole new life full of bigger responsibilities. My first year at this beautiful campus was pretty relaxing, but even though I did not finish it with the grades I used to back in school, I was very proud of the work I did. During my Bachelor’s degree I took many classes from different areas to adquire more knowledge. I remember when I took my first class about intellectual disabilities, it made me want to continue growing my interest in this area to help every person that needs me to become a independent well developed person and professional. It was in this class where I had the opportunity to interview a speech pathologist and it was there where I began to like and fall in love with this profession. I decided to start taking special education courses and in one of them I had the opportunity to do community service at the “Fundacion Puertorriqueña de Sindrome Down” in Cupey. In this place they let me work around the kids, prescience their adapted physical education class and also they let me prescience some therapies. Later, I began joining groups and organizations that helps those in need, for example “Los ronderos de la montaña”, that is a group that get clothes, food and other necessities stuff and gives it to homeless people. I also joined two organizations; SACNAS, an organization that promotes investigation and research to al those minority population that normally is left out like for example the latinos and chicanos; and MEDLIFE that dedicates to community service by helping poor people with health care and housing. Aside my normal classes during the week, I took the
opportunity to certificate myself as a Sign Language interpreter, I must admit it was a hard semester studying Monday to Saturday. While all that was happening, I was part of an investigation called "Colectivo Universitario para el Acceso” (CUA). This project was about the difficulties the students of house protects deal with when they wanted to go to college. I worked there for a whole semester as the investigator assistant of Dr. Isar Godreau. That same semester, I was coursing my Social Psychology Practicum in which, along with some classmates, we created a prevention program guided to not relapse of the incarcerated people. We focused in confined that where about to be free and did whatever was possible for the “Departamento de Rehabilitacion y Correccion de Puerto Rico“ authorized us to give the confined our program. Thanks to our hard work and to our great professor, Dr. Laurimar Reverón Medina, who has been a fundamental piece, not only in my practimun class, but in my whole academic development at the university, we got the authorization and our plan was a success. Now, why was I interested in the confined people?. In my social psychology class,we had the opportunity to interview a professional of our interest. It was Dr. David Perez Jimenez, professor at the University of Puerto Rico in Rio Piedras who made me see confined people from a different perspective and that made me want to help them somehow. I kept on touch with Dr. Perez, finished my certifications in Sign Language and one day I commented him about the difficulties the deaf people go through in Puerto Rico and he instantly suggested me the idea of starting an investigation about it. Without a doubt, he accepted being my mentor and actually (2016) with two other mates, we are working with an Investigation called “Efectividad en los servicios educativos ofrecidos por el Departamento de Educacion a niños y niñas sordas de escuela elemental en Puerto Rico”. I then decided to learn about first aid, where I had the chance to certificate myself as a health professional. As the time pass by, I keep growing academically, personally and professionally and along with this my self confidence grows too. Actually (2016), I work at a speech pathology clinic where I am learning everyday more about the profession I want to do and at the same time I gain more knowledge and experience.
What I expect to achieve in the future?
Once I finish my Bachellor’s Degree in Psychology and mental health I hope to get accepted in a good university that gives me all the tools and the right education to be prepared and become a successful professional. Sincerely, I can see myself completing my Master’s Degree in Speech Pathology, and as always giving my best. I hope to get a good job where I constantly learn new things and achieve my goals. I want to be completely qualified to give services and to help others when they most need me.
