Carlos Charriez – 6th and 8th Grade Physical Science and Biology at Wilmington Friends School – Wilmington, DE
Carlos began his career in 1999 teaching Biology and Horticulture in Montgomery County Maryland Public Schools, laying the groundwork for his passion for food education. Looking to broaden his global perspective, Carlos spent four years teaching middle school science overseas at the American School of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. There Carlos witnessed extreme food inequalities between the wealthy and communities living in poverty. Upon leaving South America, Carlos found work at a Quaker school in Delaware teaching middle school science and has been part of the Wilmington Friends community ever since. Despite geographical differences, Carlos recognized the similarities between Rio and Wilmington in terms of food access and began volunteering for a locally run food pantry to help support communities living in poverty. In an effort to complement the food pantry’s non-perishable items, Carlos began a community garden in conjunction with the Delaware Food Bank’s “Plant a Row for the Hungry” program.
His love for growing food continues to find new ways into his classroom and summer camp programming, giving his students opportunities throughout the year to get their hands dirty while also supporting the community. In his free time, Carlos enjoys fishing, woodworking, eating (especially food from Puerto Rico), and spending time outdoors with his family. He is also an ultra-marathon runner and has his sights set on completing a 100-mile trail run in 2022.