Lorenzo Marino was born in Chicago, Illinois to Joaquin and Geonna Marino. He is the second eldest of their five children; two girls and three boys to be exact. Geonna is a retired elementary school teacher and Joaquin a retired Chicago police officer. Lorenzo came from very humble beginnings. His grandparents on both sides immigrants from their native countries. His father's side of the family are full blooded Italian while his mother's side are Polish Italians. The different cultures of each side are widely expressed and meshed in the Marino home. Big meals, acceptance, traditional values and more love than you can handle. Family is key when it comes to the Marino's.
School for Lorenzo was difficult at times. Not so much in grade school but he was bullied quite a lot when he entered junior high and high school. He was different from the other children. More focused on his studies than socializing. He also hadn't quite grown into his height or his looks. To everyone he was the big nosed kid with lanky appendages. Lorenzo did his best to ignore it but kids can be relentless when they've found someone to tease. He found companionship in the few friends that he did have and some of his teachers. The bright eyed kid was eager to learn and absorb the lessons that were given to him. At least Lorenzo had his eldest brother around to protect him from schoolhouse fights.
Because he focused so much on his studies, Lorenzo was able to land himself a scholarship to a few schools of choice. By his senior year of high school he had already figured out what he wanted to do with his life. He aspired to be a teacher like his mother and follow in her footsteps. Though Lorenzo had a different path in mind. His plan was to become a high school World History teacher and use an education from NYU to do so. It would be a big move, one that would be scary and a major change of scenery compared to his life in Chicago. But he was prepared. Life was about taking chances and taking risks. Staying in Illinois wasn't in the cards for his future. At least for now.
Lorenzo's family took the move rather hard. Especially his father. Wanting his second eldest to remain home in Chicago rather than hours away in the big apple. He urged his son to stay but he'd already made up his mind. New York City it was. The change was a struggle at first. The hustle and bustle of the city took a bit of a toll on Lorenzo but like any Marino, he was resilient. He kept the stories that his grandparents had told him about overcoming adversity and making a life for themselves when they started from nothing. They were words that he channeled as he adapted and pushed his way through college. Which to his surprise went much more smoothly than his younger days had.
Like all things, time was a major factor in his adjustment. Lorenzo managed to make friends, locals of the city that were more than happy to show him around and make him comfortable. Friends he roomed with through the remainder of his college days. While he went to school, Lorenzo took up odd jobs around the city in order to pay the bills. He was a waiter for a while before landing a job at a bookstore called the Strand in the East Village. It was within walking distance with school so it made getting to and from quite easy.
After finishing his bachelor's degree in history, Lorenzo took it upon himself to further his education and go after a master's in teaching social studies. NYU offered an accelerated dual degree program that allowed Lorenzo to complete both within five years. Not only would it help him in a competitive world, he also logged tons of hours as a student teacher. Being that it was required. The courses offered at NYU Steinhardt encouraged Lorenzo to take a fun teaching approach. Channeling the energy of a world history teacher that he himself had while in high school. He made it a point to focus on that when he became a teacher. Not wanting to lose sight of his real goals. Educating young minds and getting them excited about what they were learning. He didn't want to be a teacher that didn't care, that handed out a test and said to do it. Lorenzo was going to be a teacher that prepared his students for everything.
By twenty-three Lorenzo Marino was a college graduate. For the Marino family, it was a huge celebration. Everyone had flown in from Chicago to attend the ceremony and cheer him on. While they had opposed the mood at first, they were proud of their son for achieving his goals. The high of graduation soon wore off though and Lorenzo was no different than most college students. Struggling to find work in their field. Also, with college over, he was more homesick than ever. He longed to be back in Chicago with the people that he loved and felt maybe starting his professional life back home was the way to go. So he packed his things back up and moved from New York City back home to Chicago. Things felt simpler there. He was more at peace and able to focus on his goals. Lorenzo subbed at different schools for a little while, just to gain the experience he'd need in the long run. He eventually landed a permanent job at Lake View High school in Chicago as their World Studies teacher. Teaching now both regular, honors and advanced placement world history throughout the day.
