 Her legacy |
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A Beautiful Life
Maria Teresa Capin was born August 23,1959 in Caracas Venezuela. Teresa’s parents, Jose Ramon Capin and Maria Teresa Gonzalez-Capin, came to Venezuela from Asturias Spain. In Caracas Teresa attended Nuestra Sra. Del Consuelo.
She arrived in the United States, August 1972, a suitcase stuffed with posters of Joan Manuel Serrat, a heart bursting with a love for Spain and Venezuela and a soul which harbored a unique ability to make everyone she met feel special.
Teresa began school in Tampa FL at Middleton JHS. Her first day there a confused and bewildered Teresa met her lifelong friend Karen (Vargas) Gonzalez, who acted as her unofficial guide and interpreter until Teresa found her bearings. Teresa and Karen attended Hillsborough High School and upon graduation traveled to Spain together. They had such an incredible experience that they did not board their return flight until her frustrated and angry mother boarded a flight to Spain and forced them both to return. The time Teresa spent in Spain was a life altering lesson, both philosophically and politically. It was there she transitioned from a carefree youth to a socially conscious adult.
Teresa earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Florida and a certificate in foreign language education from George Mason University. While attending USF Teresa read the news on a Spanish radio station and created a Latin American music show for WMNF Community radio.
The past eighteen years Teresa taught Spanish at George C. Marshall High School in Fairfax County Virginia, a school whose culturally diverse student body was a continual source of joy and inspiration for her. At Marshall, Teresa taught Spanish for fluent speakers, was instrumental in creating and teaching the IB (International Baccalaureate) Spanish program,organized and coordinated Marshall’s International Night and above all else welcomed and mentored newly arrived students from all cultural backgrounds.
Teresa's commitment to her profession and her pursuit of Spanish culture led her to organize a monthly gathering of Spanish teachers to read and discuss a designated literary work. Over the years this tertulia attracted dozens of educators throughout Fairfax County. At Teresa's suggestion these events were held at the public library in the Culmore district of Fairfax, the heart of a thriving community of people from Central America.
Teresa understood what E Pluribus Unum meant for our country and spent her life sewing a panel on this cultural quilt we call the United States. Her favorite quote came from King Arthur’s final monologue in Camelot, “I have won my battle, Pele. One of what we all are, less than a drop of the great blue motion of the great blue sea,but some of the drops sparkle. They do sparkle.” Maria Teresa Capin is one of those drops, with a sparkle that just dazzles and will forever remain.
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