▁Mexico , ▁Cuba ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁ ▁Career ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 3 , ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 9 , ▁she ▁founded ▁“ La ▁Academia ▁Musical ▁Con ch ita ▁Esp in osa ” ▁in ▁Hav ana . ▁By ▁ 1 9 5 9 , ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁Bat ista ' s ▁pro - West ern ▁rule , ▁the ▁Academy ▁– ▁which ▁included ▁an ▁elementary ▁school ▁and ▁music ▁and ▁dance ▁programs ▁– ▁had ▁ 4 5 0 ▁students . ▁Three ▁dec ades ▁later , ▁after ▁leaving ▁F idel ▁Castro ' s ▁Cuba ▁and ▁arriv ing ▁in ▁Miami , ▁Esp in osa ▁continued ▁her ▁life ' s ▁work ▁as ▁a ▁teacher ▁of ▁music . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 3 , ▁she ▁opened ▁Con ch ita ▁Esp in osa ▁Academy ▁in ▁Miami , ▁in ▁the ▁gar age ▁of ▁a ▁small ▁home ▁in ▁the ▁neighborhood ▁that ▁would ▁later ▁become ▁Little ▁Hav ana . ▁The ▁Academy ▁grew ▁in ▁en roll ment , ▁until , ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 , ▁it ▁moved ▁to ▁a ▁ ▁par cel . ▁The ▁school ▁now ▁serves ▁students ▁in ▁gr ades ▁pre - k inder g arten ▁to ▁e ighth ▁grade . ▁Con ch ita ▁Esp in osa ▁Academy ▁is ▁now ▁directed ▁by ▁her ▁daughter , ▁Mar ib el ▁Dia z . ▁ ▁Awards ▁During ▁her ▁extensive ▁career , ▁Esp in osa ▁received ▁many ▁hon ors ▁including ▁the ▁Richard ▁and ▁Dor othy ▁Lear ▁Memorial ▁“ Dist ingu ished ▁Edu c ator ▁Award ” ▁( M