Teresa Wright
Mexico
Teacher, advocate for immigrants and champion for children, known as the abuelita (beloved grandmother) of Montgomery County, Teresa Wright was born in Mexico City to a family who prioritized and valued education. She learned English as a child and attended private schools. For college, she attended the University of Guadalajara and then became a fourth-grade teacher. Later, a scholarship drew her to the University of Illinois where she earned a master’s degree in education. Early on, her ambition was to teach rural and underserved children in Mexico.
1 - A young Teresa with her parents in 1933
2 - Upon her return to Mexico, a party welcomed Teresa at the train station. Her extended family, friends, and even mariachis celebrated her arrival from Illinois
(Wright Family photos)
While at the University of Illinois at a graduate student mixer that featured square dancing, she met Richard "Dick" Wright, a Ph.D. student, and fell in love. They were married in a cathedral in Guadalajara, then returned permanently to the U.S. Over the years, their family grew to include four children and six grandchildren.
Pictured:
1 - Dick and Teresa at graduation in Illinois, 1959
2 and 3 - Dick and Teresa's 1959 wedding in Guadalajara
(Wright Family photos)
Carolina and Elizabeth Wright in their neighborhood in Montgomery Village, 1970s (Wright Family photograph)
In 1971 the Wrights moved from Illinois to Montgomery County where Dick began working at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Teresa volunteered at St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church and Watkins Mill Elementary School and then began teaching Spanish full-time at Montgomery Village Middle School. Teresa recalls when they moved to Montgomery Village there were only five Spanish-speaking families. Together, they soon created a tight-knit group who raised their children in a bilingual and bicultural environment and worked hard to improve education for all children in the county.
Teresa, the coach, and her daughters' softball team. (From a local newspaper clipping, 1970s)
After a few years of teaching Spanish at several schools including Gaithersburg High School, Teresa became a parent specialist in the Montgomery County Public Schools Division of ESOL/Bilingual Programs. In this position, she was able to take on many roles in the community and establish collaborative partnerships to make life better for many. She supported immigrant families in partnerships with Montgomery College, The Universities of Shady Grove, Identity, the George B. Thomas, Sr. Learning Academy (Saturday School), the Hispanic Alliance for Education, Linkages to Learning, Catholic Charities, and the Montgomery County Police Department.
Teresa Wright (center) with Maria Helena Malagon, retired director of ESOL/Bilingual Programs (left) and Maria Garcia, retired Gaithersburg High School bilingual counselor (right). Brunch at the home of Carolyn Wright, Teresa’s daughter, 2022 (Photo by Maria Sprehn)
In a twist of circumstance, Teresa Wright did achieve her childhood ambition to help underserved children, only she did so in Montgomery County where, since the early 1980s, a significant number of migrants from Mexico and Central America have come after fleeing violence, dire poverty, and hopeless futures. She has lived in Montgomery County for over five decades, significantly impacting countless students and families, and receiving many accolades for her efforts, including an honorary degree from Montgomery College in 2008. Her lifelong commitment to education and caring for her community has contributed enormously to making the county one of the most welcoming in the nation for all immigrants.
Below, Teresa and her husband, Dick, speak to the Montgomery Village Foundation in 2017 about choosing to live in Montgomery Village 46 years ago, as well as their careers, family, and hobbies.