ESU 13 Migrant Education News
Serving children and youth in agriculture: Summer 2017
Naiomi Vargas, outstanding migrant student, first in her family to graduate from high school!
Naiomi's family working in the fields
Naiomi - first high school graduate in four generations
Naiomi's diploma and awards
My name is Naiomi Lyzette Vargas my permanent residence is in Edinburg, TX. My parents have worked on the fields since they were in there teens, and I was a baby almost 20 years ago. Now I'm 18 years old and a proud Edinburg North High School Graduate of 2017, and the first on both of my mother and fathers side to finish High School to my family that is a Great Honor. I'm writing to you today to let people know that I'm a 4th generation migrant worker and that there's nothing anyone can't accomplish. I can't say that the field work is an easy job because it's not. People confuse us as immigrants. There's a difference. We, the migrant workers, are people who feed the world, do the work that no one wants to do, working hard hours in the hot sun from early hours to the latest hours that we can stay.
We earn our living, not live off the state of Nebraska's government. To every migrant worker that has stood where my family has stood, knows what is like. Traveling out of state to meet there financial stability my parents always said that, "Impossibilities are for those who don't want to change the imperfections of these world.''
Thanks to my parents after every struggle that they have gone through they still managed to push my siblings and myself to accomplish what they haven't been able to do for themselves in becoming educated, and to have the opportunity to go to College. My father was given a tool at a very young age instead of a book, and a pencil. My mother also wasn't able to finish school, but I'm proud of my parents for never giving up on their kids and being patient with me having to go and pick me up for orchestra rehearsal and to concerts and TSI tutoring and exams after school and on the weekends the same routine. I can say proudly that there effort in making us see that the field is no place for us and it's not worth it and truly isn't. The constant, reminder of those hot sunny days, long working hours, is not the same choice that my parents wanted for us to make because until now we as the family we are still continuing the cycle which I'm going to break, because I will go to college and will break the chain that has a hold on my parents.
So I put my mind to my books, juggling Orchestra, which I have been since I was in the 6th grade until I was in 12th grade, homework from all my classes and studying for the end of course exams, Orchestra rehearsals, concerts, TSI tutoring, and exams, it was a lot of effort and hard work but not impossible and not hopeless because, I do want to change the worlds imperfections I have the Will and the Power of my knowledge and in myself to do it. I have made the Top Ten Migrant with the 5th Place of a 90% GPA, throughout the school year, made RGV Lead Scholar, and a Medal for completing High School Requirements.
This is something that I want for every migrant worker to see that no matter how hard things get, beyond the racial profiling and how people act towards us, and that if we want to make a difference in life and in society it’s up to us to do it, and now I'm a living proof of that ''EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE,'' for my family and me and for anyone else that has accomplish every struggle that a person has gone through or to whom may be reading this today. We are not perfect in life cause, the world isn't perfect but we can make a difference in the world and to make it a greater place to live in for our future generations to come and for the people who can make such drastic changes for themselves and their families because not everyone takes the opportunity to change the imperfections in this world for the greater good.
At the end we are our own seekers, believers, providers, adventures, and people who will basically do anything to be insured and secured and have a better life because we as people will not live forever we are those who want something that has our names on buildings and statues of ourselves making and leaving history behind for people to see.
Quote
''Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.''
-Nelson Mandela
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ESU 13 Migrant Education Program
The ESU 13 Migrant Education Program is a Title 1, Part C program under the Nebraska Department of Education. The mission of the Migrant Education Program is to ensure that migrant children fully benefit from the same free public education provided to other children. To achieve this, the MEP supports educational programs for migrant children to help reduce the educational disruptions and other problems that result from repeated moves.
Email: krogers@esu13.org
Website: http://esu13.socs.net/vnews/display.v/SEC/Departments%7CMigrant%20Education
Location: 4215 Avenue I, Scottsbluff, NE, United States
Phone: (308) 635-3696
Facebook: facebook.com/ESU13MEP
Twitter: @esu13migrant