Article by Bradley Aquino

Immigration Education

By, Bradley Aquino

Would you believe me if I told you that there’s a man who earned his degree at UC Santa Barbara, became a nuclear technician, and a successful businessman all because he had attended a community college?

Franco Aquino is an American Immigrant who moved from the Philippines in 1946 and has found a lot of success in his time in the country. He attests his success to the fact that he was able to gain a proper education afer he and his family had moved. As an immigrant from a less fortunate family, he found that attending a community college helped him in terms of allowing him to get the education he needed while still being able to aford the cost of living. Aquino is a great example of how community college can help immigrants fnd their footing in a new society.

Aquino and I discussed the hardships current-day immigrants undergo. When asked to compare current-day immigration to back in the 50s Aquion stated, “I would think it’s a little bit harder. Tings are, you know, getting more expensive. Like the groceries, the automobiles. Tey’re also expensive. So if you don’t get a good education and land a good job, it’s tough to make it.”

Aquino is not the only one who holds this sentiment., In fact, as in the article “Keeping College Afordable for California Students”, written by Kevin Cook and Jacob Jackson. Tey reference a survey fromthat the California Student Aid Commission states had recently done, the data stated, “64 percent of student respondents identifed college costs or the management of school and work responsibilities as the biggest obstacles to success.” (Cook and Jackson).

Tis proves that potential college students are most likely scared of from applying to named universities for fear of the fnancial burden that’ll be given to them due to tuition and cost of living. As well as having other responsibilities besides school.

An Immigrants Delima

Aquino believes that education can greatly beneft those who may not be in the best fnancial states, such as certain immigrants. “I think getting an education was important, certainly. Afer graduating from high school my parents did not have the funds to send me to a good four-year college, you know, like Stanford or, or Cal. So I went to a community college, and I was happy I did that because the cost was low and I got things done. I was able to choose some sports where I could play and meet other people that I stay in touch with even though it was over 60 years ago.”

Aquino’s belief that community college helped him and his family save money was true, probably a lot more impactful to their fnancial situation than he had previously thought. By attending a local community college, he was able to cut costs on housing as he was able to just live from home while attending. Tuition, which is because “California has traditionally kept college afordable with a combination of low tuition— particularly at its community colleges—and generous fnancial aid.” stated “Keeping College Afordable for California Students”. As well as food costs. Since he was still living with his family, he was able to save money on food as they were able to buy larger meals

College Educated Adults in the US

for cheaper as there were fve people under one roof. Study shows immigrants who have moved to the US with little to nothing to their name beneft from attending a 2-year community college. An article was written by Robert T. Teranishi, Carola Suarez-Orozco, and Marcelo Suarez-Orozco, Te Article in question was titled “Immigrants in Community Colleges”. And discussed the implications of immigrants attending community college. Te article states, “Community colleges ofer one particularly important venue for achieving this objective. Because they are conveniently located, cost much less than four-year colleges, feature open admissions, and accommodate students who work or have family responsibilities…”

Opportunites

Aquino discussed with me his education history before enrolling in community college, during his freshman year Aquino was able to learn important life skills such as time management and accountability while he attended Mid-Pacifc Institute, A private military school on the island of Kauai. Aquino stated, “It was well structured and for example, when we were in the dormitories the bell would ring, we’d take a shower, another bell would ring, we’d go down to dinner and then come back. Another bell would ring and we would have study hall. It was like an hour or an hour and a half of where you sit at your desk and do your homework.”

Aquino then went on to discuss the harsh punishments the institution would infict on those who were not following the strict rules they had in place,

“Any kind of violation, like horsing around like normal high school kids, you are awarded a citation to appear in ‘court’. Tey call it to a ‘Senate’ and you plead your case. And if you’re found guilty, you are penalized by being restricted to be on campus on weekends, pulling weeds, doing chores.”

While this did instill certain values in Aquino, it overall was not a good ft for him. So just afer one year at the institute Aquino and his family had moved to California from Hawaii. Aquino then attended Mountain View High School for the rest of his high school career, Aquino passed all his classes with fying colors and outstanding extracurriculars. But ultimate-

ly when it came to picking a college to attend Aquino felt as if his options were very limited. And settled for Foothill Community College.

Instilling Values

While at the Military school on Kauai, the values and work ethic they tried to instill in Aquino weren’t all that benefcial. Rather Aquino found his own set of values to instill in others afer he had started his very own family. Franco Aquino’s son Nathan Aquino, is a 50-year-old happily married father of three who lives in Los Altos California. Nathan, like his father before him, had attended a 2-year community college straight out of high school. When asked about his decision to attend said college and how he was infuenced by his father to do so Nathan had this to say, “My dad’s decision to go to community college afected my. No.”

Afer such a blunt answer one might assume Franco had not instilled any sort of values or work

ethic into Nathan, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. While Nathan’s decision to attend a community college was completely independent, his choice of feld in the workforce was far from it. “As far as the feld of work I went into and the infuence my dad had on it. When I was growing up he owned a business for most of my life, so I would see him working and doing his thing, and afer a while, I sort of thought that I could do something similar. So I tried to own my businesses as well. I owned a Cold Stone Creamery for a while and of course, he helped with that too. But I don’t think I would’ve taken such a risk at that age if it weren’t for my father. With him supporting me I felt like I could do it.”

Nathan, while still enrolled in community college. Held a managerial position and had full ownership of a Local Cold Stone Creamery in Fremont California. Nathan was able to do so because of the fexibility of Foothill College’s schedules, community colleges, in general, are known to have a much more fexible schedule than 4 years. According to California Community Colleges, and their article “Why Attend?”, Te reason why you should consider attending a community college is because “You may need to make college ft in with a job or family responsibilities. With classes in the evening, on weekends, and even online, community colleges ofer the fexibility to help you proceed with your education while doing the other things you need to do in your life.”

Kauai

Franco Aquino was successful in instilling his work ethic into his thirdborn son, but while that took Nathan far in life in terms of education and fnances, Franco had a diferent set of values when it came to family. Franco himself attested a lot of his success in life towards his family. If it weren’t for his father who had taken up a job on a pineapple farm on Kauai he wouldn’t have been able to move to the US, as well as the overwhelming support he got from both his parents and older brothers. Franco knew that no matter what family was the most important thing in life, so while raising Nathan he tried to instill that into him. Nathan refected on this and stated, “ Te values that my dad instilled in me, you know, work hard, be honest. And most of all, you know, enjoy and take care of your family because when it comes down to it, that’s all you have in life is family.”

Next Generation

Nathan had taken that sentiment to heart and claimed that he actively tries to instill the same beliefs into his own three kids. He claims that he wants them to be able to achieve anything that they set their mind to because as long as he supports them then anything they want to do is possible. “You know, I want my kids to come back and, you know, grow up near with me and so I can see their kids grow up and they kind of infuence their kids the same way.”

Franco Aquino is a true testament to the importance of afordable education for those who are less fortunate. Aquino was able to get his degree from UC Santa Barbara, start his own successful business and maintain it for many years, sell said business and then retire, raise three children and instill his values and ethics onto them, and have said children do the same. If there’s one thing to take away from this it is that in the end big named school or not, education is education.

Bradley Aquino Is a Junior at Mountain View High school and is currently enrolled as a Film Student at Freestyle Academy. Academics aside he enjoys playing on the Mountain View Lacrosse team, as well as on his club team ADVNC. He’s a 7 year Lacrosse athlete and has little to no plan to continue it afer high school.