Today, as the longtime principal of Burns Latino Studies Academy in Hartford, Connecticut, Victor Cristofaro attributes his good fortune to his mother's fortitude and ingenuity.

Immigrating permanently to the United States from Argentina, Giuseppina Cristofaro couldn't speak a word of English and had barely a penny in her pocket. Instead of staying with her late husband's family in Argentina or moving to be with her own family in Italy, she chose to come here, convinced that her two sons would have greater opportunities.

Giuseppina "Pina" Cristofaro was persuasive. Although they initially lived with her sister in another school district, she was determined to send her boys outside the district to Dwight School. The Dwight principal, Miss O'Connell, was so won over by Pina that she sent a taxi every morning to transport Victor and his brother, Dominick, to school. They soon found an apartment in the Dwight School zone, and Pina took a job as a cafeteria worker, then as a paraeducator.

"My mother basically sacrificed everything so we could succeed," Victor says.

Certain family friends motivated him, too, especially Daniel Camiliere, who owned the pharmacy where Victor worked.

"He would say, 'The winner always finds a way; the loser, an excuse.' And this has been my approach to life ever since."

Victor started out as a computer engineering major at the University of Connecticut. Deciding that was a bad fit, he transferred to the business program. Then, remembering how much he admired his high school counselor, Mr. Cross, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in family studies. Upon graduation, he found his way onto the waiting list for a position with the state's Department of Children and Families.

Meanwhile, his mother told him about a two-week substitute position in the district for a special education teacher who spoke Spanish. Victor was bilingual, but he didn't know anything about special education. A regular special education teacher showed him the ropes and had him read The Very Busy Spider to the students. He thought it was a "pretty dopey" book, but when he looked up, he saw all the children staring at him, enraptured and desperate to know what would happen next.

"I made up my mind there and then that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life," he says.

It was 1996, and that two-week job lasted two years. After earning a master's degree in special education from St. Joseph College, he taught special education in the Hartford Public Schools for eight years. Then, in 2004, he accepted a position as a math teacher at Morgan G. Bulkeley High School and stayed for four years.

"I loved being a math teacher," he says. "But there is no greater path to becoming a good teacher in any subject than being a special education teacher first. You learn that there's a different way to reach each child."

In the back of his mind, he hoped to become a school leader. Becoming a superintendent one day is part of the bigger picture.

"I have this tendency to put as many keys as I can onto the key ring because you never know which door will open next," he says.

Victor was named dean of students at Bulkeley, then assistant principal. Eight years later, he was appointed principal of Burns Latino Studies Academy, where he remains. Interestingly, it was at Burns that Pina Cristofaro served in her final paraeducator position. Among other accomplishments, he has achieved growth in math and English language arts for high-needs students.

During his tenure, he and his team have also managed to transform the school's image. Today, local families eagerly seek to enroll their children there.

"I remember a homeless mother with two girls who chose to remain homeless rather than move in with a relative in another district. In the end, an older woman in the community took the mother and daughters into her own home so they could stay at our school."

"The people of Hartford are my people," he continues.

That passion for his community led him to join the Hartford Principals' and Supervisors' Association, AFSA Local 22, and to accept the president's call to run for the No. 2 position.

"I won by one vote and couldn't believe it. After that election, I have never been contested. I have been president, unopposed, since 2019."

For Victor, it has been all about building a strong relationship with the district and the teachers union. Creating a collaborative relationship has benefited all members.

Moreover, being a member of AFSA and serving on its General Executive Board has proven advantageous.

"There's so much to learn from other schools across the nation and from building solidarity among them, especially at a time like this," he says.

The current political climate has not discouraged him.

"I do have hope because I see that countries that are worse off than ours have come out of it. Hungary is a prime example," he says.

When Victor is not wrapped up in school or union business, he is heavily involved with the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

"I was interested in finding something that dealt directly with kids," he says, noting that he researched opportunities online and began the long process of becoming a wish granter in Hartford.

"Before I knew it, I was all over Hartford trying to grant wishes," he says, especially for children diagnosed with incurable diseases.

Now that his children and his beloved Pina are no longer at home — she died in 2021 — Victor enjoys traveling with his wife, Barbie. In 2025, they rang in the new year in Dubai. They have visited Hawaii, Italy, Argentina, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Cuba, where half of Barbie's family is from.

Work still takes up most of his time.

"I just feel that being a school leader has got to be in your heart. It's your job to serve this community, parents and everyone else, and to take part in that same fight, all believing that students always come first," he says.

He tells future school leaders that if they hold this conviction sacred, they will find the profession deeply rewarding.