With their notebooks out, students watch the front of the room intently. Ms. Rhinehardt has the floor. Speaking with a smooth accent, she flawlessly delivers the day’s lesson, slowly carving her students into Spanish speakers.

Born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil, Ms. Rhinehardt has called several locations home before arriving in Maryland, including Silicon Valley, California. Before pursuing a career in education, she worked as a sales clerk for a department store, an office assistant, and a nanny.

Ms. Rhinehardt decided she could no longer resist the urge to teach, because she loved working with kids. “I wanted to share my knowledge and experiences with others,” she enthused “The schedule’s also a pretty good thing.”

Despite the challenges of teaching students a foreign language, she enjoys the rewarding feeling she gets from it. This includes when her students realize that what is being taught to them can be applied to real life situations outside of the classroom.

“I have several students come in, so excited because they spoke, read, heard, and understood someone that used Spanish with them.” Ms. Rhinehardt noted “It makes them that more eager to learn more and makes them realize they are not here for nothing.”

When Ms. Rhinehardt is not in the classroom, she enjoys working out at the gym, going to the movies, or just staying home resting. She is also expecting her first baby, due in the spring.

When students describe Ms. Rhinehardt, words such as dedicated and energetic come to mind. “Ms. Rhinehardt is really helpful, when we don’t understand something, she always does the best she can to help us” said Andre Winkfield (’15), one of her former students. “She always has a smile.”

From grading papers to traveling the world, Ms. Rhinehardt brings an excited attitude and determined agenda to the table, and is sure to impact her students for years to come.