When Carmen Guaigua was a student at McCaskey High School, she found mentors there who showed her the kind of life she wanted to lead.

"They've stayed with me to this day, and they taught me ... you can't always be a receiver. You have to be a giver."

Guaigua, now 33, is on the board of directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lancaster County, and a Big Sister herself. She is on the boards of the YWCA of Lancaster and the Literacy Council of Lancaster-Lebanon.

And she is a volunteer with the Youth Aid Panel, which offers first-time juvenile offenders, in summary and misdemeanor cases, an alternative to the juvenile court system. "It's a really nice program for individuals who need a second chance," Guaigua noted.

In 2008, she was a graduate of the United Way's Project Blueprint, which seeks to recruit and train Latinos, Asians and African-Americans for service on nonprofit boards.

Guaigua said she would like to see more members of ethnic minorities involved in nonprofit organizations serving the community.

She and her family emigrated from Ecuador to the United States when Guaigua was a child. In Ecuador, she lived in a tiny, rural town called Riochico.

Guaigua returned there in October, and was researching ways she might be able to help a troubled school that was a 45-minute walk from Riochico. The school was shuttered two months later.

Now, Guaigua is trying to figure out how that school might be reopened. "That would be my dream," she said.

A good education can be difficult to come by for poor children in Ecuador, where many of the schools charge tuition.

Guaigua said she wishes American kids would take full advantage of "the education that we have here — the education that we have for free."

She noted: "Others, at least from where I am from, would give their life to have that opportunity."

Birthplace: Portoviejo, Manabi, Ecuador.

Family: Husband, Jorge Luis Intriago; baby due in November.

Education: Bachelor's and master's degrees in business administration from University of Phoenix. [Guaigua will be awarded a doctoral degree from that online university next month.]

Occupation: Executive officer assistant at Powell Steel Corp.

What brought me to Lancaster: My father had a job transfer from Chicago, Ill., to Leola, and so the seven of us moved to Lancaster.

How my volunteer work began: My volunteering all started at the suggestion of [Coach] Earl "Papa" Boots, with tutoring a few basketball athletes at McCaskey, where I worked, to prepare them for their SATs. Now I see them all grown up with degrees and families, and giving back to the community. Now that is priceless.

A public figure I admire: Nelson Mandela ... [for] always fighting for reconciliation.

What inspires me: A good book. ... I listened to "Eat, Pray, Love," by Elizabeth Gilbert, on my way to Boston, Mass., and it inspired me to try out a similar travel experience after I hit a rough patch in my life.

My favorite food: Right now, everything that I see, since I am having a baby.

The last movie I saw: "X-Men: First Class."

My TV guilty pleasure: Watching "Gossip Girl" and "One Tree Hill" on the CW Network.

My favorite play: It has to be "Mary Poppins" on Broadway.

What I do for fun: Read, teach myself Italian, and travel.

My favorite place in the world: New York City. I consider it my safe haven.

The craziest thing I ever did: Spending my hard-earned money to treat myself to great sporting events, such as the NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four; a BCS Championship; the Duke University Blue Devils vs. the University of North Carolina Tar Heels, at the Dean Smith Center, and Cameron Indoor Stadium; the U.S. Tennis Open in New York; an NBA [Eastern Conference Final] in Boston; and an NBA Final at the Staples Center to watch the greatest rivalry, the Lakers vs. Celtics.

The best piece of advice I ever received: Don't let your sex, race or background be an excuse to not reach your goals.

The biggest influences on my life: Besides my mother, Mariam L. Guaigua ... Earl "Papa" Boots and Sylvester "Casey" Jones, both retired from the School District of Lancaster. Both have been great individuals who know the meaning of the word loyalty and what it is to give back to the community. ... They both challenge me to try new things, and for that, I am thankful to have them in my life.

My greatest hope: Is to someday to be able to take what I have learned from my mentors and pass it on to others.

Contact Sunday News staff writer Suzanne Cassidy at scassidy@lnpnews.com.