Mama Arriada
“Puedo jugar con el juguete que tiene agua y un pez?” the little girl with apricot hair says. “Arantxa I don’t understand what you’re saying,” the older woman replies-- a woman that is very friendly, very patient, a teacher of preschoolers. Arantxa, looking around a room that is full of bright colors and happy faces on happy children who are already ahead of her in speaking, is trying to figure out what she must do to get what she wants. “Can I jugar con the toy con agua?!” Arantxa impatiently says. She is always struggling, but always trying. “You must speak English here Arantxa, you can not speak in Spanish...” the teacher reminds her once again, and probably not the last time.
Frustration. Confusion. Isolation. Frustrated from the amount of time wasted after getting nowhere; confusion from not knowing how to make the situation resolved; and isolated from others that surround her who can also barely understand her, leaving her alone unless someone so willing is kind enough to give her the toy with the fish in the water. The toy which can always leave Arantxa Arriada satisfied. Arantxa, being a little girl at the time, was not only very young, but also very independent due to the fact that her parents, Maria and Jesus Arriada, are immigrants from Spain. As she struggled daily to adjust to the social norms of a U.S. citizen, since she identified more with her mother and father, one of the biggest obstacles that she can recall was learning English, though that is not the biggest obstacle. If there is one major obstacle that has played a major role in shaping Arantxa, it is the fact that she is a first generation student to go to college. Now, we know her as Ms. Arriada, the English teacher as well as the AVID teacher at Los Altos High School, in room 505.
By Drianne Pantoja
There are many teachers out in the world who stick to their mandatory curriculum, never finishing the school day after the bell rings or even before the bell... never missing a single day of school. However, there are not always teachers that call themselves a special type of “mama” to their students, who are genuinely kind and caring outside of class, who defend the civil rights for those students who struggle in their daily life because of their skin color. That would be why Ms. Arriada is so wonderful and meaningful to many students and staff on campus. As she preaches about Steinbeck and Harper Lee each year, she also comforts and supports each one of her students by being her silly, sweet, sensible self. Like any other teacher, she hopes she can teach her students with the goal of passing on knowledge that they will carry for their
own use to go far in their future. This is not enough for Ms. Arriada though, because from what is witnessed and observed, many will also leave with wisdom and insight based off what she explains as her goal, which is as she says, “Whatever it takes to get you guys to go to college or just keeping you alive, I’m going to do it. Without a doubt. I want you to know that.” As a current “AVID baby” of hers, as she calls us, there is no doubt that comes to mind that by the end of the year, each will walk away from Los Altos with a sense of direction and discernment, with a special thanks to Ms. Arriada. If you take one look at her, and even hear the way she talks, you will think “white girl.” However, if you get to know her, you will see she stands out, like the red pepper in the enchilada. As husband Eli Brown says, she is very welcoming. Hearing her often, I know she is a social butterfly. From what one of her colleagues knows, whom we know as her “work husband,” Mr. Moul, he will tell you that she is the “glue that holds the compartment together” because of her easy going side and kindness. He mentions, that just like any group of people, “Sometimes English teachers don’t agree with each other, but that’s never a
problem when Arantxa’s around. When Arantxa’s around, everybody kind of gets along better, everybody likes each other a little bit more.” Therefore, when being asked about her career with her students and how she relates with them, he replies with an answer that shows how her unforgettable kindness forever plays in her role of teaching throughout the years. He responds with: “She was the child of an immigrant, her first language was not English. I’m sure when Ms. Arriada walked into kindergarten she spoke with an accent because, where would she have heard unaccented English. So I think she’s had similar experiences to a lot of her kids but I don’t think that’s why she can relate to kids. I think she can relate to kids because she actually cares, because she listens, and
remembers what they say. And that’s why she’s good at it.” If there is one person that knows Ms. Arriada quite well, it is Mr. Moul, and he can guarantee anyone that they will not just have a blast with Ms. Arriada, but also a close connection with her due to her warm heart. It is also guaranteed that one will look at her bright red hair and think of a spicy pepper from Spain, not just because the color of her hair or where her culture derives from, but because she also happens to be very feisty and determined when striving for what she wants for either herself or for what she believes in. One way she portrayed this persistent side is when she decided that she would be a first generation college student at UC Santa Barbara. Despite the preschool teacher that felt
uneasy with little Spanish Arantxa, the counselor that assumed she would not go to college in high school, and a GPA that was not as polished compared to her peers, Ms. Arriada pushed herself and fulfilled her dreams no matter how hard it was. From what she says, the way one is raised is the way one’s mindset works. What Maria Arriada always told her throughout her adolescence were the Spanish words “Dime con quien andas, y te dire quien.” In English this is translated as, “Tell me who you hang with and I’ll tell you who you are,” meaning who surrounds one will be who they end up like. Ms. Arriada’s mother firmly believed in this hoping her daughter chose wisely when choosing friends, people that can guide her to success. After surrounding herself with a few teachers, her math and science teacher in particular, she was eventually on her way to pursuing her dream, which was to become a teacher. It was not till she graduated college did Ms. Arriada realize how true this saying her mother told her was. Unfortu-
nately, she did not have any guidance due to her parents’ limited power on this college journey. They could not help her on applications and they could not advise her in any way about which college she should look into, or any information at all. They did not know anything about the process other than the idea that college would be good for their daughter. It was her mother that was from Spain, only familiar with their system, and Ms. Arriada’s father, once a tough sheepherder and gardener, the one that really convinced Ms. Arriada to go to college due to his rough lifestyle. Still, they were supporting her and hoping that in the end she would be happy with what she got. Ms. Arriada was born in Daly City, California, but this does not mean her life was one bit easier since
she was practically raised as she would be in Spain the way her parents were. Though coming from a proud and Basque family can be very fun and joyful, it can also be hard because it is all one is used to, causing hardships throughout life. This might be why Ms. Arriada was so willing to take on an AVID class along with English recently in 2010, because she is able to identify with the students though it may not seem like it at first glance. To have an idea of what it takes to be an actual AVID student, perhaps the acronym can help. “AVID,” or, “Advancement Individual Determination,” is a program where first generation students seek and receive assistance for their futures. A program that requires determination from these students, since that is what it takes to get what is desired. This might be why Ms. Arriada decided to take the challenge of helping students get into the right college, whether they themselves or their parents are immigrants or not, or just the fact that they need an extra push. This might be
why Ms. Arriada had the heart to take them in her care not just as a teacher, but also as a counselor... Just maybe. At a restaurant called Chiles, it is still very humid inside, since Ms. Arriada and her husband Eli, along with an army friend of his, Maloney, are in Missouri for their Spring break vacation. With refreshing drinks and a place that is meant for a good family-friend time, the dinner is off to a good start. The three make good conversation and make sure that they get to know each other well, especially Ms. Arriada and Maloney. Maloney, who is “pretty educated himself,” as Eli says, but also very “conservative,” as Ms. Arriada says. As the three conversate and enjoy their dinner, tension between Ms. Arriada and Maloney rises once he asks her politely, “So what exactly do you do in your job?” This is not the issue. “I’m an E.L.D teacher so I work with students that yenno struggle with writing, students that don’t have the strongest skills in reading and sometimes even speaking the English language.” “Oh so they’re illegal,” he replies sharply. Ms. Arriada, giving him a bit of the stink eye, re-
or an age where they are unaware of what is actually going on around them. These kids end up calling this their home because it’s all they’re used to. You ask them about their birth home they won’t know a thing. They pledge to this flag because it’s all they know, so no of course it doesn’t make me mad. And another thing is, these kids along with their families don’t use as much services as you think they would because they’re immigrants. Some live in fear for their entire lives due to this whole ‘illegal’ concept, but I don’t believe a person can be illegal. I believe things people do are illegal, but not people, especially people who move here to the U.S. for a better life than where they were originally born. It’s one thing to come here raising his and stir up a bunch of troueyebrows, giving Ms. Arriada ble but some aren’t actually looking for that. No person the signal to remain calm, can actually understand this so she does. Maloney on unless they’ve actually been the other hand, for a quick in their shoes.” minute, does not. It is clear that Ms. “Doesn’t that just make you Arriada completely dismad?” agreed with what Maloney Ms. Arriada who is remainhad to say. She did end up ing calm, firmly says, “No... squinting her eyes, she did For one they’re kids. They raise her eyebrows while don’t have a say in whethusing her many fast hand er or not they can just gestures to describe the stay behind without their issue, trying to get Maloney families in a country that to empathize with these is most likely not the best students. It is clear that Ms. for them. These kids come Arriada has always been here when they are babies plies, “Well no they’re not illegal, a person can’t be illegal. They’re undocumented.” As Maloney may not notice, Ms. Arriada just gave him the stink eye. Ms. Arriada just dropped a hint that she is starting to get slightly annoyed. While he is talking, you can see Eli
someone who will try to understand one and support them to the best of her ability. In the end Ms. Arriada respected Maloney’s opinion, understanding that he is very political in a way where she is not, and was raised differently compared to her and her students. Till this day though, she continues to stick to her belief on what makes a good citizen, and that does include those immigrants that work hard for a living as well. If she was not one to be able to empathize and sympathize with her students, it is possible that the AVID class would run a bit different than it does now. There are always situations that can really expose a person’s char-
acter. It can be the loss of someone that was close, that brings out someone’s perspectives on everything that exists. It can even be a situation that goes as far as getting your chips stuck in the vending machine, because let’s be honest, we all know that when that machine sucks up your dollar bill all hell breaks loose. For most at least. It can bring out the character of someone which can appear to be positive or negative, but when it comes to Ms. Arriada, it is almost always positive, even when she was diagnosed with colitis. During the first semester of the school year in 2012, Ms. Arriada’s life changed and caused her to take a quick break, or so she thought. To
her, one’s health and well being is far more important compared to anything else. She just did not know that this condition would last for more than a year. It started out with medications and a diet that most people would not consider an actual diet, that being no fruit, vegetables, or any dairy. Pain has now developed, into heart pounding with the loss of breath. There is absolutely no energy left, to the point where she could barely stand, leaving her mother to bathe her. Since the medications no longer help, and the only other ones have caused allergic reactions, the colitis has worsened. Blood thinners are now a part of her daily routine as well as pumping ivy through her weak arms with a catheter trapped inside from previous surgeries. With her big intestine removed, the solution to prevent her colitis for most days, Ms. Arriada has been suffering greatly-- not only through pain but through the embarrassing situations that this condition has lead her to. Her life has changed drastically due to this condition, but she was not going to let it stop her from teaching and seeing her students that await for her. Though
she felt in her heart she needed to be ready to greet and teach the incoming students that year, and return to her AVID babies, her body did not feel the same. Once she found out that she needed extra surgery to fix the issue within her body that was causing endless pain, she finally surrendered to colitis and broke down at a meeting one day. “I need to go back to my kids. I have to,” Ms. Arriada insisted. “You don’t look well. I don’t think you’re ready to come back Arantxa,” another colleague told her, eventually pulling Ms. Arriada to the side to break the situation down and explain that Ms. Arriada‘s pain is not meant to be felt while teaching at the same time. It would just weaken her more, wouldn’t it? Nothing could change Ms. Arriada’s mind, she wanted to see her AVID babies and her new students. One thing that Ms. Arriada teaches today, is that sometimes life gets in the way of school, or work, and that it’s okay for that to happen. When a student does not have the strength to pull through a bad day, Ms. Arriada makes sure she gets to them, but also through them. She lets them know how much more is ahead of them and that it is okay to take a break from school for some time to think, some time to cry,
some time to discover what they need, because she has been through a tough time too aside from her rough road to college. It was this condition of colitis. After getting talked to not only her colleague but very good friend, she decided that it was okay to miss school for awhile, to get herself better. Each time one refers to her colitis, or the time Ms. Arriada went missing for the first school semester, there is a moment of appreciation and praise for her. Not just because she went through insurmountable pain, or because she stayed sane throughout it all, but because she was willing to
put her students before this condition. Her Mama instinct had her contemplating hard about what she wanted and needed to do. Her true colors were shown at that time, through all of the tears and confusion that were developed. According to Ms. Arriada, she knows why she loves her students. One, without love for these students, she would not enjoy her job. Two, it is the personalities that roam throughout the room. Talents, intelligence, and diversity that runs within her workspace. Yet she also mentions that curiosity lies within her love for her students. She explains, “I
don’t ever remember my teachers being so open to me. Like when I tell the other teachers what my students tell me they go like ‘I would have never told my teachers that!’ They just tell me I must really love my students, and I’m just like I LOVE my students! I mean I LOVE them. Every time there’s a school shooting or something with teachers on the News that risked their lives yenno that’d be me. I would take a bullet for you guys. Like in a second, I know I would. It’s easy to say that but I’m 100% sure I would. I get emotional just thinking about how much I love you guys. I wouldn’t be who I am if it wasn’t for you guys and I don’t know what it is. I don’t know what it’s like to be a parent yenno but obviously that’s like a whole other kind of love and maybe when I do become a par-
ent, I don’t know if that will make me love my students less but, I still care for you guys so much.”
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ach year, new students enter room 505 to learn more preparation for college, in literature and through the AVID program. Each year these students
learn more about themselves and what they long for, but it is not all they receive during this long run. They also learn how lucky they are to have a teacher that feels it is her duty to not only help them get A’s, but also through personal and emotional issues. A student in a way, spends
more time at school than home during their high school years. Five days on a typical week, for at least eight hours, sometimes even longer, and actually awake. Throughout these four years, they will always know that in room 505 they are always welcome. Five years on from now, Ms. Arriada may be petitioning for more laws that relate to The Dream Act, for those immigrants that would like to actually live, not just exist. She may even have children that are as light complected as she is, yet so different from what is assumed when first glanced at. But one thing that is going to continue to proceed in five years from now, is that Ms. Arriada will be telling another new class, “I don’t want to be your mom because I’m not your mom, but I’m a special kind of mom. A different kind of mom. I’m your AVID mama, and I love you guys.”