Journey
to the
AISLE
Journey to the Aisle shares a life experience growing up in the barrio in south Texas
where Spanish and Mexican cultural influences and traditions, being the norm,
presented obstacles and conflicts while experiencing immersion into educational
environments. The practice of Catholicism was the core of daily existence in the lives of
families. Growing up in a family with ten siblings, the author shares stories about
learning how to survive daily in a male-dominant Spanish speaking home environment
where gender roles were defined through unwritten rules. Attending an Irish Catholic
Elementary School in the barrio and ultimately a public school system let to a journey of
reflective questioning of cultural expectations.
She relates personal struggles and conflicts encountered as she journeys through the
process of deciding to make a commitment to marrying.
Carmen Treviῇo Moreno, born to a Mexican immigrant father and an Italian American mother in Pharr,
Texas, received a BA degree from Pan American College in Edinburg, TX and a MS degree from the
University of Houston at Clear Lake. After having four children and spending twelve years at home as a
wife and mother, she returned to a career in education. She taught English Language Arts, Home
Economics, English, and Spanish. After serving as an Assistant Principal at Clear Lake Intermediate
School in the late 80’s, she opened and became the principal of Challenger School, a drop-out
prevention alternative school for at-risk students in the Pasadena, Texas School District.
She became a consultant for Region IV Education Service Center working with school districts in need of
addressing the gap in student achievement. She was recruited by Houston ISD to open an alternative
campus addressing junior-high students at-risk of dropping out of school. That led to her opening of
Belfort Academy as Principal for the Houston Independent School District.
She returned to Region IV ESC as Director of Federal Programs where she worked with schools
addressing learning strategies for students being served under the Title programs. After her retirement
from Region IV ESC, she continued to supervise teacher interns in the classroom.
She is presently serving on the Board of Directors for Region IV Education Service Center. She is a
member of Delta Kappa Gamma, Zeta Omega Chapter and volunteers in many church ministries.
