Dear MNPS & Community Member:
A while back, one of our high school students, Mario Cardiel, did something remarkable. He graduated as valedictorian from McGavock High School for the Class of 2010 while overcoming extraordinary linguistic and other barriers as a young immigrant. As the online publication Hispanic Nashville pointed out at that time, “Mario came to the U.S. from Juarez, Mexico in the eighth grade. Speaking almost no English, he entered English Language Learner classes at DuPont Tyler Middle School before heading to McGavock.” His ability to master the English language in such a short time AND graduate high school with the highest honor is quite impressive!
I had the opportunity to meet Mario and his family as we honored him and other graduating seniors through ¡Lo Logramos! / We Made It!, a special community-funded graduation and awards ceremony we did through our then Comité de Padres Latinos (COPLA) / Committee of Latino Parents.
As I reflect on Mario’s story with the new school year quickly approaching, I have been thinking about the opportunities we have as caregivers, educators, and other members of the community at large, to continue exploring creative ways to help all students, regardless of ethnic, racial, or socioeconomic background, acquire the necessary tools to get ready to learn and succeed this upcoming year and beyond.
Until next time!
