Forty Under 40: Carlos Amargos

Carlos Amargòs first whetted his passion for helping young people by volunteering at a drug addiction facility in his home city of Carolina, Puerto Rico.

Then, it was an interest pursued during off-hours from his auto parts management job. But now, it is his career.

During almost 16 years at Rogers High School, Amargòs has worked to build cultural understanding between the school and minority, especially Latino, students and parents.

Amargòs, who earned a master’s in workforce development education from the University of Arkansas in 2013, shares with them his own struggles and stresses the importance of education.

“I tell the students, in this country if you are passionate and work hard, you can do anything,” he said. “I love seeing people make a difference in their lives, like when they made a B on a test they didn’t think they would pass, or when they get into college, or when their ACT score improves.”

A successful ACT-prep program for Latino students is among Amargòs’ contributions to the school. Another is the ALPFA Academy, the first high-school-level Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting club in the U.S.

To him, no accomplishment overshadows the pride he feels every time he watches a student who has struggled through school cross the stage to get a diploma.