Migrant Students Need Parental Support

By Editor Ken Harvey

"The core of success is to first realize that it is available to all -- regardless of socio-economic status, immigration status or intelligence levels," says Dr. Lorena Garza Gonzalez.

Dr. Gonzalez, the keynote speaker at the recent 2005 Migrant Parent Regional Conference in Quincy, urged parents to support their children and believe in their ability to succeed.

She told the audience about her own parents’ struggles when they came to the U.S.

"’I CAN DO IT!’ were the only four words my father could speak as a new immigrant," Dr. Gonzalez says. So, each time he was offered a new job he had never done before, that was his response: "I can do it!" And he did.

"As a young man my father, Homer, came to the United States looking for a better future, envisioning a life and a family with his dear love, Choco (Maria del Socorro, my mother)," Dr. Gonzalez recounts.

"His vision began as dream. He dared to see what others could not imagine," she says. "Could it be possible that a man with a fourth-grade education could survive living and working in a foreign country, simply because he dared to dream?

"This inspiration has been the cornerstone of my upbringing and my own personal mission, to make dreams come true," says Dr. Gonzalez. "With a role model such as Homer, I, too, could envision what appeared impossible -- a Ph.D."

Her father’s words, "I TOO CAN DO IT!" also became the words his daughter lives by. So, despite what she describes as average intelligence plus all the obstacles of growing up in a migrant family, Lorena Garza Gonzalez recently became "Dr. Gonzalez."

"One thing my professor told my parents after I walked the stage for my Ph.D. was that I had determination – ‘ganas.’ I might have carried an average grade level all my school life, but my desire was a 4.0," she says.

"If you want it, you must believe you can obtain it, that you are worthy, and actually see yourself doing what that ‘successful’ thing is," she says. "Define what success means to you, and rejoice in every accomplishment."

Dr. Gonzalez urges parents to get involved in schools and support their children’s dreams. National studies indicate the strongest correlation with student success is not how much money a family has, not their big home, not their fancy cars, nor their name-brand clothes.

"The children who succeed in school are those whose parents are involved in school," she says. "That’s the No. 1 finding – parental involvement. And what does that cost you? Nothing!"

Other studies, similarly, suggest that a supportive home is vital for migrant children to overcome the extra obstacles they face.

"First, you have to believe they can succeed," says Dr. Gonzalez. "You have to tell your children every day that they will go to the university. The words we use have a great effect on our children."

Her father used to tell her how proud he was going to feel on that day when she walked in front of the huge crowd to receive her diploma.

"My father only finished fourth grade. He had a hard and impoverished life, and he realized the future could only be better for his children with an education," she says.

"This was the vision he had when he crossed the river," Dr. Gonzalez says. "What problems do you have that Homer and Choquita didn’t have?"

She remembers when a teacher told her she was such a "poor, poor child" because her family didn’t live in a nice home or have a car.

But her father told her that with their loving family, their God’s support, and the many opportunities life had given them, "we’re not poor; we’re rich."

Family support and encouragement, says Dr. Gonzalez, can make all the difference.

One mother was stressed out that her daughter wanted to leave home to attend college. Dr. Gonzalez asked: "How did you come to the U.S.? Did you know English? Did you know where you were going? Did you know how to drive?"

The mother admitted she had crossed the border illegally with very little but a dream and her family – just like Homer and Choco.

"Your daughter is much better prepared than you were. She knows English. She knows where she’s going. She knows how to drive," Dr. Gonzalez said. "You have to let her go so she can grow, too. You made it; she can make it."

Dr. Gonzalez now teaches culture, language and education courses at the University of Texas at San Antonio. She has also co-founded the private, non-profit Family Leadership Institute.

"I now share my knowledge with families throughout the country, especially those with less than me, to be champions of their own families," she says.

The institute is unique in that many of the principles taught in corporate trainings are applied to Latino families – principles such as leadership, delegation, teamwork and time management.

"I left a high-paying position to dedicate my life to ensuring all children -- regardless of race, socio-economics or gender -- can believe in themselves and dream, as I have," Dr. Gonzalez says. "I meet children who live in buses and dream of college, but are afraid of the unknown. I meet and feel the pain of parents who have seen themselves as only the providers of the physical needs of their children, who understand my father’s struggles and now challenge themselves to ensure they model leadership to their children."

About 500 people attended the Quincy parent conference, including children. Participants came from Quincy, Royal City, Moses Lake, Palisades, Othello, Warden, Cashmere, Ephrata, Soap Lake, Manson, Lake Chelan, Eastmont, Wenatchee, Brewster, Omak, Oroville, Tonasket and other towns across the state.

Besides general group presentations and numerous workshops from which parents could choose, there were classes and daycare for children from birth to 12^th grade. And Mariachi Huenachi performed at noontime.

The most exciting part about conference this year was how it was planned and organized, says Ray Alaniz, migrant parent services coordinator for the North Central Migrant Education Regional Office.

"Parents and high school students planned and directed the whole event," says Mr. Alaniz. "Parents were models of leadership to other visiting parents. The students were role models for other students. To me that was the highlight of the event."

Brewster students and parents, who had successfully organized a similar conference in their own community, assisted in training and mentoring Quincy area parents and students in organizing this event.

Brewster students, parents and educators have been honored as having the Leadership Development Project of the Year for their efforts developing their own local student leadership program of 60 junior and high school students; developing their own regional parent-student leadership conference with over 500 participants; organizing their own ASB-recognized Primeros y Primeras College Bound Club to promote the leadership activities on an ongoing basis; presenting at various local, state and national conferences; organizing community service projects; and now helping other communities, such as Quincy, develop their programs.

Lupe Ledesma is the "driving force" behind the organization, said the Secondary Education for Migrant Youth (SEMY) Office in announcing the award. SEMY developed and administers the Migrant Student Leadership Program in the state. At SEMY, David Rodriguez has worked closely in training the student leaders at both Quincy and Brewster.