OUR CULTURES
, e v o L h t Wi y t i n u m m o SD C I e h T o T BY NAYDELINE DANIELA GUTIERREZ CRUZ
Former Issaquah High School Student
Last June, in the middle of a worldwide pandemic, I got to be the first one in my family to graduate from high school. I will always be grateful for the experience. I walked to get my diploma wearing my decorated cap with flowers and a message for my mom. She is the main reason I was able to achieve this milestone. But now, with my high school diploma hanging on my wall, I want to share my experience, because I know there are many students just like me. They arrive from all around the world and start their journey here. And I know that there are a lot of things that we could do better for them. So this is for you: Issaquah School District parents, school staff, and community members. To all of you, please be aware that for many students, the journey is a lonely one, even when there are a lot of people nearby. My family came from Guatemala, but the process wasn’t easy. My mom came to the States first, while we stayed back home with an aunt for a couple of years. Kids used to make fun of us; I remember them telling us that our parents did not love us because they were not with us. When I finally reunited with my mom in second grade, I couldn’t remember what she looked like, and I didn’t know anybody here. I wanted to have friends, but even when kids talked to me, I did not understand anything they were saying. So even though my mom was nearby, I still felt lonely. That first year, the ELL (English Language Learner) Program was my safe space at school. Even when we were not able to talk to each other, we felt a part of something. It was my community. Even today, my closest group of friends is from all over. I have learned to recognize that I still feel most comfortable in a diverse environment.
22
I also know that having the services provided by the Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank was very
important to my family. We learned very soon that we were lucky because Issaquah has great local organizations that offer resources to families. Unfortunately, often it was very hard to know what was available and then figure out how to get the help. My mom had many questions about where to get a specific resource and we could never find a phone number to call. I think this could be a great service that the city or other organization could offer. At school, I quickly understood that my mom wasn’t going to be able to help or engage in anything. She was always working; she did not have time to participate at school as other parents often did. And at times, that was very hard. I remember parents bringing lunch to kids or parents coming on field trips. I never saw my mom at school. I kind of got used to it, but it was still hard. I wish the District had a system where all parents can participate once a year, at least. I am sure that if somebody had asked my mom directly, in her own language and ahead of time, she would have participated. When I went to middle school, I was still struggling a little with English and with the fact that my mom wasn’t involved with my education. I started playing my first sport: volleyball! But it was always hard not having the support of my mom there, as the other kids had. It would have made such a difference if parents could cheer for the whole team and not just for their own kids. Then I moved on to high school, and a bunch of things changed, but especially the rules and the extra freedom. I was overwhelmed, and I was assigned to a mentor. I believe that this is the one thing that most students should have, especially if their parents can’t engage in the education of their kids. My mentor helped me a great deal. She came once a week, and we talked a lot. She helped me communicate
better with teachers, made sure I was turning in my assignments, and explained to me the rules and all the procedures. In general, she motivated me to do and be better. That time with her gave me an idea of what other kids feel when their parents are engaged in their education. When I think about her, I remember how special she made me feel just for showing up! I always enjoyed seeing her in the school office waiting for me. Sitting there with her purse, and rushing to greet me as soon as I entered the room. I now know that my mom didn’t do anything wrong. She was working and working very hard. It’s simple, really. Some parents just need extra help so all the students somehow get the same educational experience. I started working at fourteen at a local restaurant to support our family and by the time I graduated, I already had two jobs. The second one is at a supermarket. Now I have graduated, and I am looking for an opportunity to keep learning. I wish there was a local organization that could provide a list of jobs for students, especially jobs that will help us learn professional skills. Around school, I also had to deal with racism. As juniors, we were allowed to go out and have lunch. One day that I went out, I was coming back with a friend who is African American, and the officer at the entrance stopped us to ask us: “What’s in the backpack? Did you guys steal that?” There were other students around walking with food in their backpacks and he had to stop the Latina and the African American and ask us to show him what we had in our bags. I looked around while I explained to him that we just had gone to buy food. We just kind of nervously laughed and did not do anything. But why us? I know this is not ok, and we need to learn to call these situations out so it doesn’t happen to other students.
