Honoring migrant farmworker graduates and their families

From staff reports

High school graduations typically celebrate the students. But a special ceremony held by Northwest Education Services (NES) at Creekside School in the Grand Traverse Commons on June 21 honored not just local migrant farmworker graduates but also their hardworking families.

Four of the 11 students honored were able to attend—the other seven were busy working. Eight of the 11 graduated from Leelanau County schools (five from Suttons Bay, three from Leland), which held their own high school graduation ceremonies weeks before.

A page on the foldout printed program declared ¡Sí se pudo! “Yes they could” with a silhouette of graduates in caps and gowns tossing their tassels overlaying a scene of an apple orchard. Ellos creyeron que podían, así que lo hicieron. “They believed they could, and they did it.”

“The motivation for holding a separate celebration was to celebrate the parents as well,” said NES bilingual parent liaison Beatriz Moreno. “Parents go through great struggles and sacrifices to help lead their children to graduation. Many of our parents did not get an education or had limited schooling. This is a thank you to our parents for helping get to graduation.”

This was the first year the migrant graduation ceremony was held since 1997, when Moreno, herself, graduated from Leland. Her four older siblings were also honored in the ’90s. Since then, she has become an ambassador between the Spanish-speaking farmworker community and the mostly English-speaking local schools—and an inspirational role model for many students.

“Living the migrant lifestyle is not easy,” she said. “I speak from experience. And to have [more than] 10 current and former migrants graduate this year was a way to bring this celebration back. With the support of our Northwest Migrant Resource council and members in the community we were able to pull this event off. Our Migrant Program is very well supported by our community.”

Speakers at the graduation, in addition to Moreno, included NES’ Deb Neddo, Elias Lopez with Michigan State University’s (MSU) college assistance migrant program, and Kevin Benson with the Migrant Resource Council. All highlighted the crucial role that farmworker families play in supporting their students, and also encouraged the graduates to continue their studies in college.

“Students don’t do this on their own. Your families help; it’s a commitment,” said Lopez. Two students currently enrolled in MSU’s college assistance migrant program also spoke. One, Daphne, became emotional as she described being the first in her family to graduate high school and attend a university. A ver que sigue. “Who knows what comes next,” she said.

Suttons Bay graduates Jessica Gomez and Nayelly Tapia were among those honored on June 21. Both of their families immigrated from Mexico, followed the crops, and settled in Leelanau County when they were young. The families work today at Shady Lane Cellars near Suttons Bay. Gomez and Tapia—friends who joke that they are cousins—make extra money during the summer by cleaning houses. They are the first generation in their families to graduate from high school, and both plan to study at Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) in Traverse City this fall.

“I felt a sense of community,” Gomez said about the migrant graduation ceremony. “The adults I looked up to when I was younger, the people from Head Start, they were all there, proud of us. It’s nice to be able to look back on where we started and how far we’ve come.”

Tapia said her parents always encouraged her to go as far as she can in school.

“They always say, ‘You should work hard so you don’t have to live day-by-day like we do … There are better opportunities out there. What we give you, you can take that and become a better version of yourself’,” said Tapia. “My Mom, who completed just middle school, said she wants me to keep going to college or university.

“My family are that bridge for me. They are migrant fieldworkers. I feel like [the ceremony] celebrated me graduating and also celebrated my family.”

Tapia plans to study social work at NMC so she can help those who come after her.

“Everyone around me has been a big role model,” she said. “Bea, who lives down the road from us, has always been really close. She has helped my family with translations as long as I can remember. She has always been in my life. Social work is a way for me to help people, that’s my passion.”

Perhaps Tapia will follow in the footsteps of her role model.

“Many of the families live in poverty and are living with other relatives in small quarters,” said Beatriz Moreno. “The students and families also face discrimination, racism, and stigma. When they are constantly moving schools, it is hard for them to get involved and with the long working hours of the parents, they often can’t be in sports or clubs. The connections that are made with migrant programs is an essential key to getting our students and parents the resources they need.”