Africa
Submitted by Nancy A., Head Start teacher with our program for 25 years
05/06 school year
I met Africa 7 years ago when her younger sister was enrolled in Head Start. Much of the contact with the family used Africa as our translator as she was in high school and bilingual. Our bus driver, Vonna, became a support person for Africa, as she was the one that usually put her sisters on the bus in the morning while she was waiting for her bus. Mom was inside with a newborn. Vonna encourage Africa to stay in school and go on to college explaining to her the huge advantage Africa has being bilingual, being raised until middle school in Mexico, etc.
Years later Africa shows back up in Head Start with a son in a nearby classroom in our program. She has another younger son with potential learning issues and a baby daughter. The teacher encouraged contact with our local Early Intervention program who provide services. The following year her second son is in the program and she becomes involved in the parent meetings, offering secretarial support to the teachers. The third year she is in my class with her daughter. I have been involved with her the previous year giving advice about the transition to special ed with the school district.
On our first home visit I remind her of our previous encounters when she was in high school and how Vonna and I both thought she had so much potential and we were so sad to hear she had dropped out of school to have children. I talked with her about her goals and what I thought she was capable of. A few days later I noticed a posting at the school district office for a native speaker bilingual aide sub position that was open. I sent a copy to her and encouraged her to apply. We had numerous conversations about it as she did not feel competent for the job. She finally applied, had her interview and was immediately hired.
She began subbing in the district and within a month word was out about how good she was. She worked some months almost full time in various buildings. Some teachers scheduled her months in advance. I encouraged her to look toward full time employment in the district this coming school year as they would provide money for further education. While she was working for the district and delivering newspapers in the morning to make a living, she also was taking her GED classes. All year Rosa, the family advocate, and I would encourage her to take the tests, that she was ready. She continued to put it off.
During our transition visit it was hard for her to have us write down that she had not completed her goal and that she would carry it over until next year as her daughter will return to Head Start for one more year. About a week later Africa stopped by the classroom on her break from working in the room across the hall from us to say she wanted us to go in and change her record of her goals because she had taken her GED tests and passed them all. She was so proud of herself as were Rosa and I. I asked her what next and she said more English and keep going to school.
Throughout the year Africa and I also talked about her role as a mentor to her younger sisters and cousins talking with them about the opportunities they had, the choices she had made and the difficulties that came with those choices. We also worked on advocacy for her son who was not receiving the "Special Ed" services that had been agreed upon in his IEP.
On the last day of work Africa again stopped by to thank us for everything. We let her know that we were so proud of her and that Alberto, her husband, had come to the last day celebration. It was nice to have him as we had been trying all year to get him hooked into helping, since he was unemployed. Africa stated that it is her goal next year to get him involved. We told her not to worry as we had already talked about the same thing. And I know Africa will continue her education and advocacy for her children. Some day we will all be reading about the great things she has accomplished.