By Metzli’s mom, Itzia Jiminez
We are a small family of three and have a nine-year-old daughter who is in the 4th grade. As a single parent, and with the help of my parents, (my daughter’s grandparents), we want to provide my daughter with the best education and values possible.
The schools in our neighborhood aren’t the right fit for our family. They do not provide a safe environment at times, and aren’t high performing academically. We know this from experience, as I grew up in New York City, and went to public school from kindergarten through high school. I know and her grandparents knew that we did not want that for my daughter.
She attended a public school for kindergarten. That wasn’t a right fit and she faced a lot of bullying. We also felt that it wasn’t a safe environment for my daughter. We had a couple of small incidents and tried to reach the principal, but it was impossible to get in contact with her.
And then we found the school that was a good fit for us, and got the great news that we had been accepted for a scholarship! My daughter’s grandparents and I knew that we were making the best choice and that we are now going to give my daughter the best opportunity of getting a good education and values.
My parents, my brother, and I came from Mexico, leaving the rest of our family behind. We came so we could have better opportunities and live a better and more peaceful life. Unfortunately, my parents at that time did not know English. They didn’t know better about schools and differences, or what was a good fit .
My brother and I didn’t have that chance to attend good schools. Our schools weren’t the best academically and did not offer a safe environment. As a family, we want to give my daughter a better opportunity.
We want her to have the best education because we believe education is so, so important in many ways, and that a lot of doors could open up for her. We want her to have peace of mind and know she can become a teacher or doctor or whatever she wants to be. We do not want my daughter to think that, because she is the child of immigrants, she cannot achieve her dreams. We want her to use the tools she has and make the best out of it with an education.
My family and I are so grateful to have this chance for my daughter to be in the school she is in where it’s a safe environment, excellent academically, and will provide the best chances for her education in the future. Most of all, we are grateful that her school will teach her good values and principles. She is happy in her school, and we as a family we couldn’t be happier.
We are grateful to Children’s Scholarship Fund for giving us, and many other families, this chance, and for believing in our children. These children will make the future better with an education, of course, because they are the future. We hope this program continues for families that really want to take these great opportunities and make the best out of them.
