Chavez fulfilling his dream
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?My family and I came to this country with a dream,? he said. ?My brother and sister and I are working hard to fulfill that dream.?
Many children of immigrant families would consider a high school degree or GED enough to get them a decent job and would fulfill what they need. Dreams are hard to turn into reality, especially when so many obstacles often stand in the way of immigrant children.
A high school degree and a decent job are dreams that take effort but are often reachable. Going beyond that often gets much harder but Luis Chavez is determined to reach his goals for himself and his family. ?I believe that when you have a dream, you need to work to see it become reality.?
When asked whether he ever has moments when he wants to quit school like so many other kids, surprise flickers in his eyes. ?Quit? No, I never wanted to quit school. I?m going to go to college.?
Kids quit school for several reasons, he explains. ?I know kids who quit school. Their parents didn?t care and so they didn?t care. And, they hung out with the wrong people. Your friends are a big influence on whether you quit or not.?
Luis? mom and dad always made school a priority wherever they lived. ?In Mexico the government isn?t like it is here. They don?t care if you go to school or not.?
A smile lifts up the corners of his mouth as he describes those few days he felt lazy. ?When I said, ?Mom, can I just go tomorrow?? she would say, ?No, get up, get dressed. You are going. Your education is important and you are going to go to college someday and get a degree.??
His voice quiets a little and grows distant as he describes starting school in the United States seven years ago. ?When I went to school here for the first time, I didn?t understand a word. I felt like I was by myself locked in a room.?
His words have a weight to them. He?s taking his time, trying to describe a situation he and so many other immigrant children have lived and make it possible for someone who didn?t live it to understand.
?It is really hard for someone who comes from another country to be able to communicate with anyone because they do not speak their language. I felt like I lost my whole personality.?
One of his most desired goals is to become an architect. His eyes light up as he talks about the cousin who?s nine years older than he is and who works as an architect in Kentucky for ?a big company.? The inspiration he has been to Luis shows in Luis? gestures and excitement. ?I?ve known I wanted to be an architect since I was 13. I?ve known that?s what I wanted to be before I knew what that word architect meant. I would look at a building and think ? I can do that. I can make that better.?
Any toys that came into the house Luis stacked them up and made buildings out of them. ?If I ran out of toys or didn?t have any then I would make buildings out of sticks and glue or mud.?
Luis?s ultimate goal reveals itself when he talks about what becoming an architect will help him to do and accomplish. ?If I am someone, then when I speak other people will listen and I can say look at what I?ve done, what I?ve accomplished. I came from a situation like yours, you can do it too.?
Quietly he concludes, ?Later, I hope I can also help other people who are the first in their family to go to college. This would be the meaning of success for a dream come true.?
Hispanic scholarships
Nora Wilson, who is fluent in Spanish, has profiled three Hispanic students who are pursuing college scholarships. This is the second story in a three-part series the Standard is publishing.