We Can Have Access To College If We Work And Persist

Sussex Latino Success Stories from 2021

So many families and students are pushing for a brighter future, even as they face multiple barriers such as fear, lack of resources and a world that can seem unfriendly. The unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic on learning and planning for college and careers have been very difficult – particularly for high school students and their families. We are honored at this time to highlight the stories of three 2021 Sussex County high school graduates who are showing how to reach their dreams.

Joanna and Kelly Perez, Laurel High School seniors, are more than twin sisters. They are friends, teammates, each other’s advocate and cheering team. They were accepted to Cornell University and awarded full scholarships for their drive, passion, hard work and dedication to pursuing their dreams of a great college education.

Kelly said her determination steered her course to college. “I shared in my essay for college the story of my life and how much I went through, how my grades were affected by life circumstances and how I have persisted and believed that I could do it,” she said.

Joanna and Kelly were speechless – but vocal – when they learned they were accepted at Cornell.

“My sister and I could only scream without even pronouncing a word because we could not believe that both of us were accepted,” Joanna said.

“We are grateful for having found a program that matched our passion to pursue a college education. We were embraced like family into the TeenSHARP program. They helped us all the way until our acceptance letter into college,” Joanna said.

In the past 14 months, TeenSHARP, based in Wilmington and a member of La Colectiva Network, increased its virtual group and individual education, support and mentoring of Delaware high school students who aspire to college. The work has supported the success of a growing number of Latino students in the past few years.

“TeenSHARP got us prepared mentally, academically and mentored us to keep a positive learning mindset that helped us stay strong and humble while we worked hard to make it,” Joanna said. “We are grateful for Mrs. Kim Lopez and Tatiana for the opportunity and support we had. Our parents wouldn’t know how to fill out the complicated college applications so we did them together and under TeenSHARP guidance.”

Joanna will pursue a pre-health curriculum with a focus on human rights. “Being a minority in America can cause fear,” she wrote in her Cornell essay. “Being an immigrant with little command of English can be dangerous.”

Kelly’s Cornell essay was inspiring. “Young children are never aware of their social status,” she wrote. “They aren’t aware if they are considered ‘low-income’ or ‘immigrants,’ and even though I couldn’t name our way of life, these terms have had a major impact on my upbringing.” Kelly is a National Honor Society member and will pursue pre-health at Cornell to become a physician because of her struggles with the medical system as a first-generation American.

Joanna and Kelly enjoy sports, help at home and provide resources for the family. When they are not in school, they play left-wing midfield on the No. 1 U19 travel soccer team in Maryland. They watch out for their siblings and bus tables to help their family pay bills. They are daughters of Guatemalan immigrants. They said it’s difficult for their parents to accept that their girls will  go away to college. Despite the separation, their parents are grateful for the gift they worked so hard to achieve. We also celebrate their parents, who bravely face the emotional challenges of letting go — knowing the importance of supporting their daughters’ dreams, opportunities and futures. Parents have to support their children as they pursue their dreams and opportunities. Paula and Filiberto, your daughters will be forever grateful.

We celebrate these insightful and kind sisters. We wish them the best possible experiences and success in college. We anticipate their return to make Delaware a place of abundant opportunities for many generations.

Delaware College Scholars Program (DCS)

DCS is proud to highlight one of the Latinx scholars from Sussex who will graduate from high school this spring and attend a four-year college in the fall. Dayana Garzon Lagos, a senior at Sussex Tech, will be the first in her family to go to college. She credits DCS for helping to make this a reality. Dayana said: “ … One thing that gave me hope was the DCS program. From the first day of the program, they pushed me, guided me and listened to me without any hesitation. DCS gave me the opportunity to tour new colleges, understand the college application process, gave me an idea of what college would be like and make amazing connections (with) people that I will forever hold in my heart.” Dayana will attend University of Delaware in the fall, major in hospitality and plans to travel to Greece for her spring semester. DCS looks to expand into Sussex, adding Latinx students for future summers.