*This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #TheStoryOfEmma #CollectiveBias
Ever since I was a little girl in Spain, I was taught that education was the key that would open any door for me in my future. As early as I can remember, I would walk to school with my grandmother and she would remind me to do well in class that day because education was everything. She would always keep drilling into me that she never had the opportunity to get an education and that it was one of her greatest regrets.
When I was eight years old, my parents sent for me to come to the United States because they had finally secured jobs and an apartment. They would now be able to care for and support my siblings and I in this new country. The prospect of coming here was daunting to me because I did not speak English and I had never traveled out of Spain that I could remember. As soon as I arrived and began to attend school, I knew that there would be many challenges ahead and I was intimidated by being a stranger in a strange land.
Throughout the years, despite my difficulties with learning a new language and having to assimilate to a new culture, my mother constantly told me that not doing well in school was not an option. She knew that I would never truly be self-sufficient unless I graduated from college and she would encourage me daily to stay focused on my studies and to keep my eye on the prize. This was not always such an easy task when my father was getting laid off from his job and we faced the prospect of possibly getting evicted. However, it was these financial difficulties that made my mother even more persistent in her campaign to keep me college-bound.
Her persistence and my hard work finally paid off when I graduated from high school in 1994 and headed to college on scholarship. I knew then that I had made both my parents really proud and that I was embarking on an adventure that would help to secure my future for myself and for my family. Eventually I also graduated from college and graduate school and am now a successful educator with a respectable career. My successes are a prime example of why it is so important for children to have access to quality education from an early age.
Graduation day from high school in 1994.
The Mi Escuelita Preschool teaches English to children from all cultures and prepares them to be academically successful. Its five locations in Dallas, Texas service low-income families whose children are considered “at-risk.” They provide a safe, secure and nurturing environment where non- English speaking children are taught the English language, pre-reading, literacy, and social skills necessary to have a successful experience in both school and life.
This year, during their annual fundraising dinner, they launched The Story of Emma, a 3-minute movie trailer that depicts the story of a successful young woman who got the educational boost she needed from Mi Escuelita. While the story is fictional, its inspiring message is representative of the children who are positively impacted by a Mi Escuelita education.
You, too can invest in the education of Latino children by joining us for #TheStoryOfEmma #LATISM Twitter Party:
WHEN: Thursday, December 11, 2014 at 9:00pm.
HOSTS: @LATISM and @ColectivaLatina will be joining forces to support the Mi Escuelita campaign and create awareness about #TheStoryOfEmma.
PRIZES: 5 prizes of $50 gift card + $50 donation to Mi Escuelita in winner’s name will be awarded during the twitter party.
Every share, tweet, or retweet that you share that utilizes the hashtag #TheStoryOfEmma will generate a donation of $1.00, up to $10,000 in donations to this very important cause!
HERE IS A SAMPLE TWEET:
RT to donate $1! I am investing in #Latino children: lets make success stories like #TheStoryOfEmma a reality http://bit.ly/storyofemma
Also, by clicking on the image below, you can donate to Mi Escuelita and give wings to young children like Emma!
Let’s Discuss: How has education made a difference in your life and how important is it that children have access to education from an early age?
Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #TheStoryOfEmma #CollectiveBias I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
© 2014, Tough Cookie Mommy. All rights reserved.
What a beautiful success story! I am homeschooling my children because I want them to love learning. Thanks for sharing about this great effort to get education for all little children in their area.
What an inspiring story. It can come true. The love of learning is a gift that all children deserve.
I am a firm believer in education and encourage my kids to try their hardest at all times. My husband did not go to college and didn’t try in school and now has a job he hates. I did well in school and have a few college degrees and can do what I want. I think that is what makes education so powerful.
This is a very good story, I think having a love of learning is important. Curiosity will breed all sorts of big dreams!
I definitely agree that education is extremely important. I was also constantly told by my parents that I had to study hard and go to college. I can only imagine what it is like for non English speaking children to learn English-it is definitely not an easy language to learn. Yes, I retweeted!
What an inspiring story! It’s wonderful to read about!
Education is everything. I look at kids in other countries who aren’t even taught simple things like how to read and it makes me sad.
I believe education is the key to everything. My children are grown my son didn’t go to college he joined the Marines instead. My daughter is almost finished with college to be a teacher. She just gave birth to twins and we are already reading to them constantly.
I love this story! Education is so valuable but I’m sure you already know that! more people need to know the story of Emma!!
Of course education as early as possible is important. More studies are showing a huge advantage for those that attend pre-school compared to those that don’t.
I tweeted! I just watched the video at the link and I was very moved. Thank you for sharing so important to better the lives of our children through education.
I think it is incredibly important for all children to have access to quality education!
School is so important and when my oldest dropped out of college to join the military we were stunned. He’s since gone back (while he is in the military) and is steadily making progress towards his degree. 🙂 I love that your family was so supportive of you getting a quality education, and that you turned around and made them proud. 🙂
This is wonderful. Education keeps getting budget cuts and it’s really sad.
Education is one of the only ways our kids are going to mke it in this world. That and a whole lot of hard work.
I love this campaign! Love reading your story!!
This is so great! It’s so important for kids and education to have top quality and we just don’t see much of it anymore! So sad
Education is very important. I encourage all parents to do whatever they can along with their children to make education a priority.
I can’t get over your childhood pic. What a cutie pie! I think it’s very important for all children to have a proper education.
What a wonderful program! I’m tweeting it!
I grew up in an environment where knowledge was valued, but formal education, not so much. We didn’t have money for college, so I gave up early on. It wasn’t until I had a friend go to college solely on grants and scholarships that I thought it might be possible. I worked my butt off getting in, going to school full time, working full time, and raising my first child, but it was all worth it. Now, I tell my children that they’re going no matter what. There are always options.
Good for your mom for encouraging higher education! When parents are there helping and pushing their child to succeed, they usually do.
Education really opens the mind and unimaginable doors. Congratulations on your achievements and for being yourself a role model!
I love seeing all these great pictures of you (what a cutie you were and still are!) and hearing your inspiring story. Education is key. What a wonderful initiative!
What awesome pictures! Nothing is more important than education.
I could not imagine relocating to a new country and not knowing the language. I am glad your mom pushed you though and did not allow you to use it as an excuse to fail.
I can’t even imagine how it must feel having to go to a whole new country and live there; amazing pictures as well!
This is so great! Education is so important!
So many studies clearly indicate the importance of early education. This looks like a really great preschool. I read your story with interest because it sounds like your mom and my mom would’ve had a lot in common I didn’t come from Spain however the emphasis on education was extremely strong when I was growing up. my mom was a single parent and she was extremely conscious that we would be educated we would have choices in life and we would have a wealthy sort of future not wealthy and material goods necessarily but we would have a wealth of options. My brother and I both succeeded completed post secondary education and we both are successful business people and I think well I know that my mom was extremely proud of that. I had both of my girls in preschool from the age of three on until they went to school.
What a great event and I cannot imagine how had it was trying to learn a new language! go you!
Education is very important to us. I love seeing your photos and getting to know you better through your posts. Great read!
Education is so important, it must be so insanely hard learning a brand new language!
This is a great story. Education is vital to having a good career. This is a great program.
I totally agree with having a great education would open multitude of doors for someone! It led me to a great career that I love 🙂
What a great story indeed! I totally agree that education is most important one for every one. Education is the key to open your knowledge. Felt so good reading this.
I just loved your story and it sounds a lot like my own. My parents didn’t have a college degree and my dad never finished high school but it was NOT acceptable for their own kids to not have an education. They drilled in us that we needed to get one in order to be able to depend on ourselves and no one. It’s what kept me going and what I now instill in my own kids. Mi Escuelita sounds great and I am definitely going to look into it.
Education is so important. I love the photos!
What a great story of perseverance to share. Getting a full education is one of the best things a person can do.
education is something that we take for granted in this country but it is so important for our children to grow into adults that can change the world.