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When Karina León de Bettino moved to Minnesota from Mexico in 2017, it wasn't easy. She had worked as a teacher and a journalist in Mexico, but being an immigrant who did not speak perfect English made it difficult to find a job at first. After many months, she was hired as an educational support professional in Minneapolis Public Schools, where she discovered her passion for libraries.

At the Spanish immersion school where she worked, they never had a Spanish-speaking librarian. "How can a librarian truly inspire students to love reading in Spanish if the cannot read, write or speak the language?" she recalls thinking. She also considered the power of her students seeing someone who looked like them as the school librarian, and decided to go back to school to become a Library Media Specialist.

Karina continued to work at the Spanish immersion school while pursuing her degree, working closely with her fellow teachers and creating library lessons in Spanish. In 2024, she came to Saint Paul Public Schools as a bilingual educational assistant at Creative Arts Secondary School and Open World Learning Community. She graduated with her master's degree from St. Cloud State University in May 2025, becoming the first licensed Mexican librarian in Minnesota.

"I believe education is the cornerstone of a society. I believe that the library of a school is the heart of that community," Karina said. "My dream is to keep that heart beating so I can guide all my students to love reading and help prepare them for a complicated world."

Karina will start in her new role as a Spanish teacher at Highland Park Middle School in the fall.

If you can dream it, you can achieve it. No one knows this better than Eli, a student at Focus Beyond Transition Services whose entrepreneurial spirit and passion for baking inspired a new menu item that will be served in every Saint Paul Public Schools cafeteria starting in fall 2025.

The story begins with Eli’s grandma, Shirley, and her family recipe for apple cake. Fresh apples, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar are the primary flavors in this family favorite dessert. Eli, who works at the Lighthouse Coffee Cart at 360 Colborne, approached his job coach Mei Roen about baking and selling muffins at the coffee cart. Janelle Kelly, a work-based learning coordinator at Focus Beyond, brought the idea to SPPS’s head chef Bono Gbolo, who happily agreed to meet with Eli and talk “chef to chef.”

Chef Bono and Eli met at Focus Beyond to talk about several of Eli's family recipes and what they mean to him and his family. Together they agreed on a recipe that would be most adaptable to mass production for school meals. Chef Bono explained what’s involved in "scaling up" a recipe, and then invited Eli to be part of the process at the district’s central kitchen. There, he got to see how the muffins are made and taste tested two versions of his grandma’s recipe, ranking them by taste, texture, aroma and appearance.

After selecting the winning recipe, the Nutrition Services central kitchen team put it into production while Eli came up with a name for the muffin and designed a logo to put on the packaging. On May 22, Eli and his classmates at Focus Beyond and students at Bridge View School were the first to taste what thousands of students across the district will soon know as the Golden Hug Muffin. 

Eli wants to encourage others to share their recipes and is interested in working in a bakery or restaurant himself. This summer, he will move out of his parents’ house and into an apartment above their garage with a roommate. Congratulations to Eli and all of the staff at Focus Beyond and Nutrition Services who supported his dream!

Katie Kupris is a first-year teaching assistant at Como Park Elementary School, where she attended elementary school before finishing her SPPS education at Como Park Senior and Focus Beyond. She loves working with kids and appreciates the support of her colleagues and family members. Born with mosaic Down syndrome, Katie considers herself a person with a special ability and is being highlighted as part of National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

What is your job at SPPS?

In January 2024 I passed the para-educator assessment. I was hired as a Teaching Assistant 2 supporting special education students at Como Park Elementary for the 2024-25 school year. I'm quickly learning a variety of interventions that help my students follow directions when they are having a hard time. I have to admit that I'm pretty exhausted after a full day with these students. Before this, I worked for three years as a group aide for the Discovery Club at J.J. Hill Montessori. I enjoyed this job, my team and the students I supported. I learned a lot about working as part of a team and helping out where there is the biggest need.  

What does it mean to you to work at Como Park Elementary?

I'm really proud to have a full-time job with SPPS. It's another step for me toward living independently without government assistance. As a person with a special ability, it was very important for me to find work I enjoy that allows me to be more self-sufficient. I like working with kids and I really enjoy what I'm doing. 

What is your favorite thing about your job?

I like the little moments with my students. The kids smile when they see me. One student calls out to me when getting off the bus "Katie Kitty," a little joke we shared about my name. These moments let me know that I'm making a difference. 

I'm new in this role, so I'm working on getting to know my students and the staff better and building trust. Everyone here has been so helpful and kind to me. I really appreciate their support. 

What do you want people to know about Down Syndrome and working with people with disabilities?

I was born with a condition called mosaic Down syndrome. It's not very common. There are only about 2% of the Down syndrome community that are born with mosaic Down syndrome. During my senior year in high school I made a video explaining the condition and the science behind it. I think it's important to understand that people like me with different abilities have a lot of skills to offer employers. I'm responsible, hard working, reliable, patient, and kind. I tell people that kindness is my politics. I can perform this job well and I enjoy learning new skills that will make me a better teaching assistant. 

The most important thing to know about working with people with disabilities is that we are all more alike than different. We have feelings, we want to learn, we try our best. My students are learning how to better manage their emotions and behavior when many are non-verbal and they struggle to communicate how they feel. They have families that love them just like me that want them to be the best they can be and get the best education possible which is our right by law. 

Anything else you'd like to share with the SPPS community about yourself or your job?

I attended Como Park Elementary as a kindergarten student in 2006. I had many great teachers and experiences here. It's hard to believe that one of my teachers who left a big impact on my life is now a colleague. I love to travel. I'm a great baker, dancer, singer and I love to crochet. I'm a sister, aunt, and godmother to my nieces. I live in Como Park with my parents. I enjoy hanging out with all my friends, especially my best friend Vika and my large extended family.