Staying on course to follow her dreams | Great grads ’16

Published 3:48 pm Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Kent-Meridian High School senior Maria Jose credits Elisa Aguayo, Communities in Schools site coordinator, with helping her stay on track to graduate.

“It is nice to have somebody at school to be on (you) about things because it motivates you to be better,” Jose said.

As a freshman, Jose started skipping classes and experimenting with drugs. Things turned around for Jose during her junior year, when she met Aguayo, who had just started working at the school.

“If I wasn’t here one day or if I wasn’t in one class, I’d be called down here (to Aguayo’s office) and she’d talk to me and lecture me,” Jose said. “I would make sure I would go to class because I didn’t like the lectures.”

The pair soon discovered they have a lot in common. Both were born in central Mexico, in towns about 45 minutes apart, and moved to the United States when they were a year-and-a-half old. Aguayo is also a Kent-Meridian graduate.

“Most of her teachers are my teachers,” Jose said.

Aguayo said she has enjoyed watching Jose grow over the past two years.

“It was just amazing for me to see that when put in the right situations in leadership positions and surrounding herself with other successful people, she took the opportunity and just went with it,” she said.

Jose was vice president of the school’s American Sign Language club, participated in LEAP (Latino/a Educational Achievement Project) – as well as various Hispanic workshops and camps – and played soccer and fastpitch.

Jose looks forward to graduation on Saturday, although she admitted it is a bit nerve-racking.

“I will be the first (to graduate) on both my parents’ sides, and then I’ll be the first to go to college too,” she said, adding that her father, Jose Acosta, completed ninth grade and her mother, Maria Esparza, finished third grade.

Jose plans to attend Highline College and would like to transfer to a four-year university to become a doctor.

She said she hopes she can serve as a role model for her three younger siblings, Paulina, Nathalia and Jose Angel.

“A lot of people say they usually look up to the oldest,” Jose said. “I feel like if I graduate it will make it easier for them to graduate because they’ll know what to do.”

Having Aguayo to look up to helped Jose as she completed her high school career and made the decision to continue her education.

“She is the only Mexican I know of who graduated from high school and went to college, a university,” Jose said.

Aguayo said she is proud of what Jose has accomplished and will miss seeing her on a regular basis.

“I’m glad that she is going to be challenging herself and going to college,” Aguayo said. “That’s not only the best example for herself and her family, but for our community. My hope is that she can pay it forward later on as well.”

PHOTO BELOW: Maria Jose, left, found support from Elisa Aguayo, Communities in Schools site coordinator, in keeping her on track to graduate.
Heidi Sanders, Kent Reporter