Ms. Gigi Ozaraga Ricafort

 

Ms. Gigi Ozaraga Ricafort

 

Head of the Cambridge Early Years and Primary Programme

Working at VAS for 12 years

People often ask why I’ve stayed. The answer is simple: growth and inclusivity.

I started at VAS as a teacher at Tran Cao Van Campus in D1. VAS has never just been a workplace for me. It has been the ground where I planted my earliest seeds of love for children as an educator, and where those seeds were nurtured into leadership.

Recently, I received a Global Award, "School Leader of the Year 2025", an honor I deeply treasure. But the truth is that, that recognition would never have happened without VAS.

VAS gave me:
• Opportunities before I even knew I was ready
• Trust before I fully saw my own potential
• Space to lead in a way that aligns with who I truly am

I was welcomed with open arms as the pioneer Cambridge Primary Teacher. Then, my leadership style was not shaped, reshaped and was embraced by this community and that made all the difference.

Growth here is not accidental. It is intentional. Inclusivity here is not a statement. It is lived.

When an institution believes in you, challenges you, and walks beside you, you don’t just grow professionally. You grow personally.

I owe VAS so much for shaping the professional and leader I am today.

A favorite quote that resonates even more deeply now:

“Bloom where you are planted.”

I was planted at VAS.

And I bloomed.