I never got to meet her in the physical but her spirit is very present in my life. My paternal grandmother Maria Teresa Serrano de Ayala is a pioneer of literacy in Puerto Rico. She was a Spanish professor at la Universidad de Puerto Rico Serranoen Rio Piedras, a member of the Universidad de Puerto Rico's Consejo Superior de Enseñanza: Departamento de Instrucción Pública, and helped build the Asociación de Maestros de Puerto Rico. Abuela Teresa was super active and motivated by education. The thought of helping someone become independent by teaching them how to read and write was her driving force. She helped start "night school" in the campos for the laborers and their families. Through this work, she spent a lot of time away from her family.

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Abuela was an author and published several short 
cuentos (stories) for the school systems grade level reading book series called "Por El Mundo De La Palabra". Another one of her short cuentos, "El Castigo" won 3rd place in the Bellas Artes Competition of 1954. Abuela also was one of the first to administer standardized tests on the island.
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Abuela parted from this life on September 28,1967 leaving behind my abuelo, Titi Cherrie, Titi Connie and my father Nenún.
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The Department of Education of Puerto Rico posthumously named a school in our hometown of Carolina after my beautiful grandmother. I am extremely grateful for the legacy that I have been blessed with! I hope to be able to serve the world just like my Abuela Tere did!
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