Chicago Scholars is excited to bring you a series of essays and reflections on the impact of Scholars’ college degrees on their communities, their families, and themselves. This essay was written by Yezenia Sandoval, Class of 2o19.
My junior year of high school, I was one out of two students selected from our junior class
to become a writing lab tutor. Little did I know it would become one of the most rewarding
experiences of my high school career. Throughout my childhood, I enjoyed reading
and writing and even considered pursuing a career in journalism. As a result, when I was offered this position, I saw it as an opportunity to sharpen my writing skills and contribute to the strength of my college applications.
However, I vividly remember the day I encountered a student who had been mandated by his literature teacher to come to the writing lab. The way he stared at his empty hands as my supervisor, a composition teacher, repeated the prompt to him several times. I came to realize that the blank stare, which eventually turned into blatant frustration, was a result of a language barrier.
When I began to translate between him and my supervisor, I saw the relief and gratitude on his face and was ultimately impressed by the depth of his contributions to the writing prompt. I remember leaving the room ultimately feeling like our education system had failed him. From that day onward, I realized the importance of this writing lab as a resource center but also the ways in which my identity impacted the space.
As a first-generation college graduate, I am grateful that my parents laid the foundation
for my educational growth through their consistent involvement and encouragement of
afterschool activities that would stimulate my educational development. However, this is not the
reality for most public school students across Chicago. Through my writing lab experience, I
learned about the academic gaps in our educational system by reading through hundreds of
essays. More importantly, I gained a desire to push for educational opportunities and
resources for students who come from similar backgrounds. This led to my involvement in
several initiatives at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor advocating for diversity and
inclusion in both academic and professional spaces.
Being involved in ALMA, a four-day orientation program for Latinx students, and Bridge Schools PLUS, a mentorship program for first year students, I was able to help students navigate the complexities of a college environment. My involvement in these programs was very rewarding but has also taught me the need to advocate for educational reform that paves the path for students to enter higher education.
As a mentor and non-profit leader, a college education has allowed me to leverage my
own educational experiences to create tools to close the achievement gap. These experiences
ultimately informed my decision to pursue a career within the education non-profit sector, which allows me to work with various stakeholders, including CPS students and educators, to create access to paid workforce opportunities while inspiring students to be pioneers within their respective communities.
