Motivational speaker to English students: Education is everything

LYNN – Marcela Aldaz-Matos moved to the United States from her native Colombia as a young twenty-something with no money, no family and no English.For years she lived in a one-bedroom apartment with six people, working odd jobs until she earned enough money to apply for English-language classes and eventually college. Today, she has her master’s in business administration and forms the marketing strategy for a multinational company.”I’m so thankful I did it and I made those decisions, because my life changed completely,” she said.Aldaz-Matos shared her story Thursday with young immigrants at Lynn English High School as part of a motivational speaker series run by the national nonprofit United States Hispanic Leadership Institute, which tours the country speaking to Latino and immigrant students and parents.Thursday’s presentation, which took place once in Spanish and once in English, is part of a concerted effort by Lynn English educators to bridge cultural divides that can inhibit immigrant students’ success in America, said Molly Cohen, the Lynn English bilingual guidance counselor.”There’s not that complete understanding that you make sacrifices to go to school,” Cohen said.For example, some first-generation immigrant students miss long periods of school as their parents pull them out to visit family in their home country, Cohen said.She said she hopes Thursday’s presentation, which was also to be presented a third time in the evening for parents, sends a message that to be a successful immigrant like Aldaz-Matos, youth need to make school a priority.”I think Latino culture is family-oriented ? and that is a huge jump because American culture tends to be individualized, and the difficult part is how to find balance in between,” she said.Students listening to Aldaz-Matos said they do walk a fine line setting priorities between school and family.”Your family is more important than school. It doesn’t matter the reason, your family is going to be there for you,” said Jessena Pelaez.But she and other immigrant students also gave up family to receive an American education.Lisbeth Hernandez was born in America then moved back to the Dominican Republic as a child. But as she reached her teenage years, she left her mother on the Caribbean island and moved back to the states to attend high school in Lynn.”If I want to be a successful person, I have to make sacrifices,” she said.Her story is not uncommon in the 60 percent of Lynn English students who are Hispanic.But far from feeling disenfranchised because of their situations, Hernandez and Pelaez said they believe hard work can level the playing field for success, just like Aldaz-Matos was able to do.”Everybody has the same opportunities,” Pelaez said. “It doesn’t matter where you come from.”Amber Parcher can be reached at [email protected].