When Andrea Juarez walked into what she thought was another day in the classroom, she wasn’t expecting to be surprised with an oversized four-day Lollapalooza pass.
But after a year of learning, growing, and finding her voice as an educator through the AUSL Teacher Residency, Andrea had one more milestone to celebrate: becoming AUSL’s first-ever Resident of the Year.
To celebrate the honor, AUSL launched AUSLapalooza, a special Resident of the Year experience that sent Andrea and her brother to Lollapalooza for four days of music, celebration, and some well-deserved fun.
The recognition marked the culmination of an unforgettable residency year and the beginning of Andrea’s next chapter as a certified art educator.
Andrea Juarez celebrates being named AUSL’s first-ever Resident of the Year and receiving a four-day pass to Lollapalooza.
Learning by Doing
Throughout her residency year, Andrea gained hands-on classroom experience while learning alongside an experienced mentor teacher. For Andrea, that relationship and the opportunity to gradually take on more responsibility became one of the most meaningful parts of the year.
“What stood out the most was working closely with my mentor teacher,” Andrea shared. “Being able to step into lead teaching and create a specialized lesson centered around stop-motion animation for my high school students was my favorite time.”
As an art educator, Andrea found opportunities to bring her creativity into her teaching while developing the skills needed to plan lessons, respond to students, and lead a classroom.
It’s a central part of the AUSL Teacher Residency model. Residents spend a full school year learning alongside an experienced mentor teacher while building the skills, confidence, and practical experience needed to become an educator.
At the end of the residency year, Andrea’s hard work and growth were recognized in a brand-new way.
Andrea was selected as AUSL’s first-ever Resident of the Year, an honor created to recognize an outstanding resident for their dedication, growth, and impact throughout the residency year.
“Being named AUSL’s first Resident of the Year meant a lot to me and felt like a wonderful recognition of all my hard work,” Andrea said.
The recognition came with another surprise. Through AUSLapalooza, Andrea received two four-day passes to Lollapalooza, giving her the opportunity to celebrate the end of her residency year with her brother at one of Chicago’s biggest summer traditions.
Celebrating Through AUSLapalooza
With support from C3 Presents, who provided Andrea’s four-day Lollapalooza passes, and celebratory gifts from Garrett Popcorn Shops, Lou Malnati’s, and Transit Tees, AUSLapalooza gave Andrea an opportunity to celebrate after a year spent learning, planning, teaching, receiving feedback, and growing in the classroom.
Reflecting after the festival, Andrea shared what the experience meant to her.
“Thank you to AUSL and C3 Presents for this absolutely unforgettable experience,” she said. “Being named the Resident of the Year has meant so much to me, and getting to celebrate at Lollapalooza with my brother has been an incredible way to kick off my teaching journey.”
Take a look back at Andrea’s unforgettable AUSLapalooza weekend at Lollapalooza.
For Andrea, one of the best parts was simply getting to enjoy the festival alongside thousands of other music fans.
“My absolute favorite part of Lollapalooza has been being able to enjoy the music, be surrounded by people who also enjoy music, and just have a great time and have fun.”
What Comes Next
AUSLapalooza marked the end of one chapter, but Andrea’s journey as an educator is only beginning.
With the residency complete and now officially licensed to lead an art classroom of her own, Andrea is looking for the right opportunity to begin her teaching career. As she takes that next step, she’s carrying forward the determination that helped her navigate the residency year.
Her advice to someone considering the AUSL Teacher Residency is simple:
“Always be determined to never give up and keep pushing forward. Advocate for yourself and never let anyone tell you what you can’t do.”
It’s a message that captures Andrea’s persistence and the mindset she’ll carry with her into the next stage of her career.
At the end of her AUSLapalooza reflection, Andrea summed up her excitement for what comes next in just a few words:
“Let’s start teaching.”
As we close this chapter of Andrea’s AUSL story, we’re proud to celebrate everything she accomplished as a resident, and we can’t wait to see where her journey takes her next.
Start Your Teaching Journey
Andrea began her residency year ready to learn. She finished it as a certified educator, AUSL’s first Resident of the Year, and part of a community committed to preparing and supporting great teachers.
Ready to start your own teaching journey?
Learn more about the AUSL Teacher Residency and how you can earn your teaching license while gaining a full year of hands-on classroom experience alongside an experienced mentor teacher.
