by Maria Garcia on 2015-10-16
On the 25th anniversary of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, President Barack Obama on Thursday recognized 13-year-old Diego Vazquez for his commitment to going to college.
Diego, an eighth grader at Chavez Middle School in San Bernardino City Unified School District, wrote a short, moving letter to President Obama last year pledging to go to college, a dream that was out of reach for his parents and older siblings.
The letter was part of a class assignment that prompted students to watch a presidential speech and then write about it. Diego wrote about being inspired by President Obama “to wake up every morning to come to school and learn.”
On Tuesday Oct. 13, Diego’s letter was on display at a reception recognizing the 25th anniversary of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, an effort originally established by President George H.W. Bush in 1990 to address the educational disparities faced by the Hispanic community.
The White House event was held on the culmination of Hispanic Heritage Month, a day when the President announced 150 Commitments to Action with a collective investment of over $335 million that will build on and accelerate federal, state, and local investments in high-quality education, from cradle to career, for the nation’s Latino community.
Having his letter showcased at such a high-profile event came as a shock to Diego, who had forgotten about sending it.
“I didn’t think my letter would even be opened or read,” said Diego, who dreams of studying computer science and designing the next generation of smartphones. “This shows me that President Obama really cares about more Latinos like me going to college.”
Just as the White House is focused on getting students college and career ready for the jobs of the 21st century, so is the San Bernardino City Unified School District, which educates about 50,000 students, with 73 percent of them being Hispanic.
Students like Diego are the future of our country, and they must leave high school prepared to succeed in college, said Superintendent Dr. Dale Marsden, who attended Tuesday’s reception in Washington, D.C.
“The San Bernardino City Unified School District is committed to guaranteeing that our students can compete globally, regardless of their background or challenges,” Marsden said. “That’s what Making Hope Happen is all about.”
Diego, who started kindergarten at E. Neal Roberts Elementary School speaking only Spanish and is the son of immigrant parents who work in the restaurant industry, is determined to make his family and his country proud.
“You said if I give up on myself, I give up on the country,” Diego wrote in his letter to President Obama. “So I won’t give up and [will] try to succeed…”