“There’s a lot of positive word of mouth going on about Badin in the community. If I can help be a resource for students and families at Badin, I’ll feel good about that,” Contreras said.
Badin is on the west side of Hamilton and draws from nearly 50 junior high schools and 30 ZIP codes, school officials said. The percentage of students of color at Badin has increased from 5% to more than 10% in the last few years.
“We embrace the gift of diversity,” said Principal Brian Pendergest, quoting one of the hallmarks of the Sisters of St. Julie Billiart de Namur, who are affiliated with the school. “We are committed to providing as many resources as we can to help each and every student to achieve the mission of Badin High School.”
Contreras, who was born in Mexico, is a recent Miami University graduate and has worked at Badin for several years.
“I want to make it easier for (Latino) parents to see the good experience their children can have at Badin,” Contreras said. “I can help them through the process and reduce the friction. It’s easier to connect with someone who can speak your language. It makes the process less daunting.”
Contreras is a 2014 graduate of Fairfield High School. He and his wife, Sandra, live in West Chester Twp.
“It’s been interesting to see the grade-to-grade growth” in the Latino population at Badin, Contreras said. “I want to help bring in students, retain them at Badin and hopefully someday they will also become legacy parents.”
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