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College: The Dream Begins Today
Demi Moreno, student: My name is Demy Moreno, and I’m in the 8th grade
at the Whittier Health and Science Academy, in San Antonio, Texas.
Luz Moreno, Demi’s Mother: My name is Luz Moreno. I am Demi´s mother.
She´s a student in middle school.
We began talking to our children about college their first day of school. It was never:
“if you go to college”. It has always clearly been: “when you go to college”.
And that has always put the idea clearly in their minds that they must go to college.
Demi: Ever since I was little, I’ve dreamed of being a lawyer. I know that in order to do that I have to study very hard,
beginning in middle school, to make it to high school, and to college.
Angel Treviño, student: My name is Ángel Treviño.
My dream for the future is to study communications and to become an actor.
Valerie Peña, teacher: Kids like Demi and Angel have to have
qualities like perseverance, motivation and discipline.
Imelda Martínez, teacher: Study habits are important for students because
they help them do well in class, and to be disciplined and well organized.
What I’ve seen in students who have made it to college is that
they are ambitious, and have the desire to go far, that they need to be what we Latinos call “go getters”.
Andrés Alvarado, teacher: If they want it badly enough, they
need to work hard every single day, not just one day, but the whole time they are in school.
Mrs. Martínez: It’s important that students take advanced placement classes because it helps them be successful
in college. It helps them be organized, and it also helps them to improve their critical thinking.
Angel: They tell us: “Go on, go to college,
because if you don’t go to college, you’re not going to make a good life for yourself.”
Mrs. Martínez: Teachers also need to let students know how important it is to go to college.
To tell them over and over that, if they really focus, they can make it; they can go to college…
and to let them know that we have confidence in them, and that we know they
can make it to college if they put their minds to it.
Naomi Saldívar, principal: When they hear encouraging words from their teachers, words
that give them energy and confidence, that is an inspiration for them. And that’s what teachers’ job is:
inspiring their students, so that they reach for high goals.
For us Latinos it’s extremely important to have those goals…
to believe we’re entitled to those goals… believe that as Latinos,
we should fight for, and aspire to go to college.
[What plan do you have, or what can be of help to me with regard to college?]
Hilda Villagómez, counselor: It’s very important that a mom, or a dad, or even grandparents
to want our students to attend college. Because that parent, or that grandparent is going to work with us.
High schools always find a way to help students get support so that they can go to college.
So, parents need to communicate with their children, tell them that yes, it’s going to cost money,
but we will work with the school so you can be ready.
Mr. Alvarado: Parents need to tell their kids that they can go to college.
That it’s important for them and their family.
Mrs. Martínez: on camera Definitely, parents should communicate
with their son or daughter, and tell them over and over, on a weekly, or even
a daily basis, that going to college is important.
Luz Moreno: My parents didn’t have the information they needed to know if I qualified for college or not,
whether they could pay for it or not. So they didn’t give me the support I needed to make it to college,
and I ended up deciding to work instead.
[My final exam is March 30, so I´m going to begin working on my…]
I’m now going back to school. I’m starting to study for my GED.
I want to show my children it doesn’t matter how old you are, or how long it takes. You can still do it.
I want to be a good example for them.
Demi: She is an inspiration for me. Whenever I feel that my homework is too much for me,
I look at her, and she makes me feel, yes, I can do that.
Luz Moreno: We are helping her, and giving her support so that she can make it to college…
by looking up information, finding out about financial support, and registering her, to make sure she’s involved
in activities that will help her when it comes time for her to start college.
Antonio Moreno, Demi´s father: if you achieve what you want by going to college,
you can make it, and won’t have as hard a time as we’ve had.
Demi: Without my parents’ support, it wouldn’t be the same… 0:05:32.400,0:05:35.000 It makes me feel that they care about me, and that
they’ll always be there for me when I need them.
For more information about Federal Student Aid, visit www.studentaid.ed.gov/spanish.