Not just an ordinary
girl named Maria
BY Samuel Orrin Sewell
It was a long, hard road
just to graduate from Immokalee High School. Until she was 15 years old, she
was on that road with her parents, following the harvest across America, from
sea to shining sea. There were artichokes in California, cherries in Michigan,
tomatoes in Florida.
All
along the way, Maria’s mother found a way to give roots to her family. She
worked part-time, lived with relatives and attended adult education classes
while the rest of the family continued to harvest crops for a living. Maria’s
mother became a licensed cosmetologist and found a job at a beauty shop in
Immokalee. With financial help from neighbors, her family finally had a home.
The
rest of the family members found jobs, and for the first time in her life,
Maria became a student who could actually stay in one school for an entire
school year. Her grades began to improve. By the time she was a senior, her
teachers had noticed this was no ordinary girl named Maria.
One of them encouraged
her to apply for one of the Mensa Scholarships the local chapter of the high-IQ
society awards at the end of each school year.
Local
Mensa members evaluate student essays to determine the scholarship winners.
Some Mensa members see themselves as holy guardians of the English language.
Things like spelling, grammar, syntax and parts of speech are treated with
reverence.
Maria’s
scholarship essay — written in English, which is not her native language — won
the competition.
In
addition to correct English usage, the Mensa essays are judged on the goals the
student has for the future. Maria had a well thought-out plan. Her dream was to
attend college and major in education, with a goal toward a Ph.D. Then she
wanted to establish a standardized curriculum that would be used throughout the
school districts in the great harvest regions of our country.
Maria
knows, first hand, that if migrant children can get high quality, consistent
education, they will be able to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty
that has been so much a way of life for her family.
My
wife and I were invited to emcee the Mensa Scholarship awards dinner that year.
We were fortunate to be seated at the same table with Maria and her mother.
Maria’s
mother seemed to tolerate the fuss over her daughter with a benevolent
amusement. Maria bubbled. She was irrepressibly charming.
She
confided to my wife that she was afraid her makeup had smeared or run before
the ceremony had even begun. She explained that they didn’t have
air-conditioning at home, and the A/C in their old pickup had not worked since
last year.
When
Maria and my wife left to do the things that women do in front of mirrors, the
young scholar’s mother, who had seemed so composed earlier, leaned forward with
an intense look on her face. “Maria is going to do something with her life,”
she told me. “Thank you for helping.” A slight quiver of the lower lip was the
only hint of the feelings behind her matriarchal dignity.
Several
of the people at our table were struck with compassion for what we were
witnessing. We were also inspired by such a pure example of the American Dream.
When
Maria returned, some of us began to offer sympathy for all her hardships. Maria
wanted none of it. “Things aren’t so bad now. It has been a long time since we
haven’t had enough food,” she said cheerfully.
Here
in Naples we know people who consider it a bad day if their hot tub springs a
leak. Maria thinks things are OK if she has eaten that day.
¦
¦
Time to write
The
local Mensa organization, South by Southwest, awards several thousand dollars
in financial aid to scholars from Collier, Lee, Charlotte and Glades counties
every year. These cash scholarships are granted without consideration of
grades, academic program or financial need to students who will be enrolled
fulltime in any accredited educational institution for the coming academic
year. Scholarships are based solely on anonymous, 550-word essays describing
the student’s educational and academic aspirations.
Essays
to be considered for awards in the spring of 2018 must be submitted by Monday,
Jan. 15. For guidelines, and to apply for one of these several awards, go
to: www.us.mensa.org/scholarships.
Anyone
wishing to support local scholars can contribute with checks made out to Mensa
Scholarship Fund and mailed to Sam or Bunny Sewell, 10202 Vanderbilt Drive,
Naples, FL 34108. ¦
— Philosopher, clergyman, psychotherapist, scientist, humorist and raconteur Dr. Sam Sewell is a member of the Southwest Florida chapter of Mensa. His articles are frequently published in political, religious and behavioral science periodicals. This article will appear in the January issue of Mensa’s national magazine, the Mensa Bulletin.
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