Proud moment: Student and parents' hard work will make dreams come true
Today we told you the story of Santos Saldivar and his parents, Jose and Aurora, and their journey to graduation day.
We would be remiss if we did not point out how special this young man is.
No one handed him the scholarship he will now use to go to Campbell University this fall.
He put in the work to make that dream come true.
And even if he had not received the money, Santos was already working hard to make the grades and to raise the funds he needed to become a pharmacist.
So where did he learn this work ethic, determination and desire to strive to live his own American dream?
From his parents.
Jose came from Mexico and worked his way up from a field laborer to the owner of his own construction firm. He did it through hard work and sacrifice and because of a desire to offer his children more than he had growing up in poverty.
And in the process, he taught his son all he needed to make his dreams come true.
There are many stories just like this one among the members of the Class of 2013 in Wayne County's high schools.
Not all might end with such a grand achievement, but they are the result of parents who refused to allow their children to miss the chance to be all they could be.
And there are plenty of seniors who will receive diplomas and will go on to college because yes, their parents encouraged them, but also because they put in the hard work.
We talk a lot about what influences education and how to improve our schools.
But this is just another example of the truth that lurks behind the rhetoric and politics.
Parents make a difference in what their children will become -- and they must participate in their education to help them turn that tassel. And students determine their own destiny, too.
Santos is a role model because of all he achieved. His parents are role models for what they taught him.
And that is an example many more should follow -- and many officials should keep in mind.
Published in Editorials on June 11, 2013 10:52 AM