Photos Courtesy of Project Roadmap and Morgan Hill Unified School District
to succeed in their chosen field. People like Teresa Guerrero-Daley, a Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge, who shared her story of studying and working her way through college and law school, becoming a judge, and giving back to her community. She told the kids how, long ago, she was advised to drop her surname, Guerrero, to have more appeal in the job market— advice she chose not to take. She said when she walks into her courtroom today and people stand as her name is announced, she is proud of who she is and the path she chose. Students and their parents were moved by the judge’ s story.”
Along with monthly meetings, Project Roadmap hosts its annual student-led event, the“ No Excuses” Youth Conference. A two-week“ Summer School for Parents” program helps parents connect with school teachers and staff. They discover that it’ s okay to ask questions and voice their concerns.
“ We have families living in poverty in our district,” Mario said.“ These kids have grown up seeing their parents working in the fields, doing piece work, putting in long hours at multiple low-wage jobs, sacrificing to keep them in school. These kids are torn. They want to go to college but sometimes they feel selfish, thinking they should get a job right after high school and contribute to the family income. We want parents to know that college is not just a luxury for the well-to-do.
“ With this in mind, I invited a local friend, Humberto Rincon, to lead one of our workshops. He grew up poor, but did well in high school and was fortunate enough to win a scholarship to UC Davis. After that he earned a master’ s degree from Stanford. During high school he’ d been working in a local retail store. His boss offered him a job as store manager after graduation. His dad thought he should take the job, a“ sure thing” that paid a salary, rather than spending four years in college with no guarantee of a job after. He loved his father, but he chose college and went on to work as an engineer at IBM. When his own teenager started talking about college, he was ready to support her dreams, without hesitation. Our kids really connected with Humberto’ s story and his message for them.”
On average, Project Roadmap has served about 400 students and parents per year. The project is aligned with school district and Local Control and Accountability Plan( LCAP) goals through the supportive partnership of Superintendent Steve Betando; Assistant Superintendent Ramon Zavala, who convenes Project Roadmap meetings; and Heather Nursement, the district’ s new Director of College and Career Pathways.
Community partners including Morgan Hill Community Foundation, Morgan Hill Kiwanis Club, and the Edward Boss Prado Foundation have also lent their support.
“ We’ re committed to this program because we’ ve seen it work,” Mario said.“ When it works and our students are successful, it benefits their families and the entire community. The generous support we receive from our community partners is essential as Project Roadmap serves new student families each year.”
Santa Clara County Supervisor Mike Wasserman, MHUSD School Board Member Ron Woolf, MHUSD Superintendent Steve Betando and County Office of Education Trustee Claudi Rossi.
Jennifer Gonzalez,
Project Roadmap Alumna
Jenn Gonzalez is studying hard at Santa Clara University where she is pursuing a triple major in Political Science, Ethnic Studies, and Women and Gender Studies. After that she plans to go to law school. Project Roadmap played a big role in her secondary school experience. While a student at Britton Middle School, she worked with Science Teacher George Flores and participated in Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán( MEChA), a national student organization, and on the English Language Advisory Committee( ELAC). She got involved with Project Roadmap during her Sophomore year at Ann Sobrato High School.
“ I realized the great need there was for marginalized communities to receive resources to guide them towards higher education. I, as a child of immigrants from Mexico, felt different from my peers whose parents volunteered in the classroom and were very present on campus. My parents have always believed in education and in me. Project Roadmap allowed them to understand the steps I had to follow to reach my goals and how they could support me as parents. They saw firsthand the impact of helping others. For me and my parents, Project Roadmap was like being part of a larger family that values education and community service. I learned that education is the most powerful tool we possess and it’ s something no one can take from us. It gave me a foundation of empowerment. I know that I have individuals cheering for me, believing in my ability to succeed. I understand what my education means to my family and my community. We are breaking through old barriers and fulfilling an American Dream.”
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2017 gmhtoday. com
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