Cassidy Titchenell

Tasche Bryant
WRT 104
November 10, 2016
Mom, Teacher, Athlete, Photographer & More;
Who really is Cindy Pires?
As a mix between a mother, a soccer fanatic, a teacher, and a photographer, full-blood
Portuguese Cindy Pires of Warwick, Rhode Island sure is quite busy, yet never neglects to
include a strong sense of grit or abandonment towards others within her everyday life.
Possessing the trait which allows one to finish what is started and persevere despite difficulties,
Cindy is able to happily continue with her blessed and hectic life through selfless acts in an effort
to better those around her.
A typical day for Cindy during the week involves waiting for her mother-in-law to pick
up her children for school, heading to Blackstone Academy Charter School where she teaches,
bringing her children to soccer practice after the school day ends, helping her children with
homework, going home to cook, preparing for the next day, reading with her daughter, sitting
with her son until he falls asleep, and grading assignments for her students. During this time, she
is unable to prioritize her needs as she is primarily focused on fulfilling the needs of those,
specifically her children, around her.
Mother to two children, Kylie, 7, and Tyler, 4, who attend a Catholic school in Warwick,
RI, Cindy is responsible for two lives other than her own. Along with help from her husband who
she has been married to for about ten years now, Cindy works endlessly to ensure that her
children are growing up in a consistently healthy environment and developing positive mindsets
as they age. Reflecting on one of the biggest challenges she faces as a mother, Cindy states, I
want them to be independent. My biggest fear is that they will always want to rely on somebody

and wont want to do things on their own.I dont want them to be followers. In Cindys
opinion, it is crucial for her children to develop a sense of independency in which they become
their own persons and leaders, rather than who society conforms them to be. Considering how
big of an impact the media and society has on the lives of young people, being a mother in the
21st century who incorporates these views on how she would like her children to be exhibits a
tremendous amount of grit.
Aside from her biological children, Cindy has also unofficially adopted a group of
exuberant teenagers as an advisory at Blackstone Academy Charter School located in Pawtucket,
RI where she teaches Portuguese I and II. During advisory, a time where close-knit groups of codependent students and a mentor form, Cindy is partially responsible for the futures and
betterment of high school students who look to her for guidance and support. Along with caring
for her own children and grading her students assignments, Cindy is also tasked with caring for
an additional group of children who are at a critical point of development and growth regarding
their futures. Being an exceptional advisor of an advisory is a challenge not everyone is able to
successfully adopt, however, Cindy is able to find the time to separate her needs to guide those
seeking her assistance.
When not taking care of her two children, Kylie and Tyler, or her advisory Cindy is
snapping photos of small events, such as family gatherings and portraits, through her small part
time business. Standing only five feet tall, Pires is also a member of a soccer team with her
husband who happens to tower over her by a foot. She may also occasionally get her nails done
or receive a back massage to reduce her stress.
As a child, Cindy was raised in Cranston by her paternal grandparents and her mother, an
extremely dutiful worker who constantly worked 24 hour shifts at a factory in an effort to grant

Cindy the privilege of being spoiled, after her father left. Upon her fathers abandonment, she
faced an eating disorder, yet powered through it, continuing to become well known throughout
her high school career.
Cindys selfless endearment for others often leads to herself being put last, however, her
optimistic belief in the hope that everything will turn out to be the way they are meant to be has
lead her to continue the life she currently lives. Next time you are tasked to choose between
repeatedly helping yourself or helping those silently requesting help, before finalizing your
decision, think to yourself...would Cindy decide to do that?