For 23 years, Sebastián Vázquez was a janitor at a school in Pilar where he greeted students, cleaned blackboards, and looked after the hallways. He always dreamed of standing in front of a classroom and explaining what he was passionate about, although it seemed impossible after dropping out of high school in his third year. With only a modest income, he worked in various trades from a young age and became closely acquainted with need.
In 2014, at 41 years old, he decided to return to school and finished high school at an adult Cenma in his hometown. There, he discovered that History captivated him deeply and met his greatest inspiration, Professor Daniel Mare. Encouraged by that example, he took the entrance exam for the History program at the UNC and managed to pass the preparatory course with a perfect score.
His life became a daily challenge: janitor in the morning and student in the afternoon, he traveled to Córdoba balancing work and family obligations. The effort was enormous, with endless nights of studying, hospital visits due to his mother's illness, and the loss of his father. However, he didn't give up and moved forward with the conviction that he was fulfilling a dream.
Sebastián con su madre, y con el título de la UNC recién obtenido
From janitor to university graduate
In seven years of study, he took eleven final exams in four sessions and even two in a single day, showing discipline and perseverance. "I gave myself the gift of studying," he recalls with emotion, aware that personal effort was key in every achievement. On his graduation day, his recently operated mother and his professor Mare accompanied him, symbolizing the pillars of his journey.
With his degree in hand, he made his debut as a teacher at the Cenma in Villa del Rosario, where nerves paralyzed him before getting off the bus. He acknowledges that at first it was difficult for him to see himself as a teacher, but little by little he found his style in front of the classroom. "The classroom forged a new character in me," he states, convinced that teaching transformed him.
From those years as a janitor, he kept lessons learned by listening to how other teachers taught, and today he tries to apply those lessons with his students. His clearest reference remains Mare, whom he strives to emulate with commitment and enthusiasm. His journey demonstrates that education is a tool for self-improvement even when it seems that opportunities are no longer available.
Sebastián dando clases en uno de los 5 colegios a donde enseña
A present fully dedicated to teaching
Even after graduating, for five years he continued working as a janitor while teaching at the same time, until a mild heart attack forced him to leave that routine. Today he teaches at five schools in Río Segundo, Costa Sacate, and Villa del Rosario, where he is loved by his students and colleagues. "The classroom gives me everything," he says with conviction, proud to have chosen this path.
His nickname now is "the cheerful one," because he conveys joy and enthusiasm in every class and every conversation with the educational community. Although he acknowledges that his income is lower than what he earned as a janitor, he states that he wouldn't trade being in front of his students for anything. "Afterwards, families and students repay me with their affection," he emphasizes.
He went from opening doors and cleaning blackboards to teaching History, achieving a dream that seemed out of reach years ago. Sebastián represents merit, effort, and personal growth, values that allowed him to change his life. "Every so often I stop and think: look how far I've come," he confesses with a smile, proud of the path he has traveled.
