Easy to hide but difficult to ignore ...
Sammy Rodriguez graduated from high school in 2014. He integrated himself into the school community by playing sports, joining the orchestra, and “going with the flow in classes and in relationships.” Still, he always felt like he was looking at his school experience through a different lens.
I know a little about what he is talking about. While I recognize that my kids come from significant privilege, and that privilege is an entirely relative term, Gabe, Jula, and Billy found out right away that many of their classmates came from different worlds. They lived in enormous homes. They went on magnificent vacations. They bought what they wanted at the mall.
Again, I don’t mean to suggest that my kids were significantly disadvantaged. They just needed to learn how to conduct themselves in a world of extreme wealth.
Sammy writes about how he navigated through that world here. Sammy attended Seattle University, where he received a BS in Sports and Exercise Science last year. He loved the city and the friends he made there so much, that he decided to extend his stay for at least another year. At the moment, he works two jobs: one at a Trader Joe's, and the other as a personal trainer at Seattle University's gym. “With a little bit of luck, and a whole lot of hard work,” he said, “I am planning on going back to school to become a Doctor of Physical Therapy.”
Sammy’s post is about how he dealt with being surrounded by wealth in high school. “I wrote this post with the hope that those who relate can see that it is possible to get over those obstacles that seem insurmountable.”
- C.H.
Hello, my name is Samuel Rodriguez. I was a student at Francis Parker from 2010 to 2014. Some of my favorite memories of high school involve sports, music, English classes, and the friends I made.
Unlike most Parker students and their families, my parents are not doctors, lawyers, business owners, or anything of the like. My family and I struggled a lot throughout my high school career, but we managed to scrape by. After not being able to afford rent for a home when I was in fifth grade, we moved into a small apartment complex, in which we still live to this day. There were days that I regretfully cursed my parents under my breath for not being able to drive me to school because they had to be at work very early. While my friends were driving off in their brand-new Benzs or BMWs, I cursed at the bus for being five minutes late again, which could potentially extend my commute to and from school by a margin of 30 minutes.
So why am I telling you all of this? Many of you have no idea who I am, so why care? This essay isn’t about me; rather, it is about the many students who may feel different than their peers, but in a way that is easy to hide but difficult to ignore. I’m talking to the students who have to find different excuses to not join their friends for holiday breaks because flights aren’t cheap. To the students that have to fake laugh when their peers complain about the lunches not tasting great because it is actually a delicious, warm meal for them. To those who have to go through the paperwork for financial aid each semester so they can receive the required books and uniforms. For those who could never consider a private tutor for the SAT or music lessons. To those who can only imagine the emotions that come with getting a new car for their 16th birthday. This post is for the students who may be first-generation college students and have to maneuver the system all on their own, often finding themselves not knowing what to do next. It doesn’t get any easier for those of us in similar shoes beyond high school. Opportunities are limited, but not impossible to achieve.
Now, this isn’t to say that students in similar situations need to be intimidated by this school. Francis Parker is a great community, filled with individuals who really want to see you succeed. I always think back to people like Judy Connor and Inez Thomas, who were two of the first people to welcome me and answer any questions I had. Of course, many of my teachers helped shape me into who I am today. I consider myself lucky when I think back to my time at Parker. My introduction to many of my friends started through football during the summer/fall of 2010. I was definitely the outsider; the Latino kid from National City who was poking through the ‘bubble’ that is Francis Parker. Thankfully, I was quickly accepted by many, but not without having to play off a slightly different persona than who I really was at first. I remember having to play up this idea of being a tough, ghetto kid when in reality I just wanted to hide and fit in with the rest of the students. I tried my best to wear a clean uniform, comb my hair perfectly to the right, and enunciate every word.
If I could leave you with two pieces of advice that I would have wanted to hear in high school, number one would be to not be afraid to reach out for help. I really do believe that Francis Parker staff want the best for you in school and in life. Do not be afraid to talk to a trusted teacher or friend about the struggles that are happening in your life. If they don’t know the answer right away, I’m sure they know someone else who might. The second would be, as cliché as it is, to be yourself. Everyone has their own story to tell, and yours isn’t any less of a story than your peers, simply because you may have less than them. If you are a student in a situation like mine, being yourself is what is going to make you stand out as you move on to college and beyond. Don’t be afraid of it-- embrace it.
Hello, my name is Samuel Rodriguez. I was a student at Francis Parker from 2010 to 2014. Some of my favorite memories of high school involve sports, music, English classes, and the friends I made.
Unlike most Parker students and their families, my parents are not doctors, lawyers, business owners, or anything of the like. My family and I struggled a lot throughout my high school career, but we managed to scrape by. After not being able to afford rent for a home when I was in fifth grade, we moved into a small apartment complex, in which we still live to this day. There were days that I regretfully cursed my parents under my breath for not being able to drive me to school because they had to be at work very early. While my friends were driving off in their brand-new Benzs or BMWs, I cursed at the bus for being five minutes late again, which could potentially extend my commute to and from school by a margin of 30 minutes.
So why am I telling you all of this? Many of you have no idea who I am, so why care? This essay isn’t about me; rather, it is about the many students who may feel different than their peers, but in a way that is easy to hide but difficult to ignore. I’m talking to the students who have to find different excuses to not join their friends for holiday breaks because flights aren’t cheap. To the students that have to fake laugh when their peers complain about the lunches not tasting great because it is actually a delicious, warm meal for them. To those who have to go through the paperwork for financial aid each semester so they can receive the required books and uniforms. For those who could never consider a private tutor for the SAT or music lessons. To those who can only imagine the emotions that come with getting a new car for their 16th birthday. This post is for the students who may be first-generation college students and have to maneuver the system all on their own, often finding themselves not knowing what to do next. It doesn’t get any easier for those of us in similar shoes beyond high school. Opportunities are limited, but not impossible to achieve.
Now, this isn’t to say that students in similar situations need to be intimidated by this school. Francis Parker is a great community, filled with individuals who really want to see you succeed. I always think back to people like Judy Connor and Inez Thomas, who were two of the first people to welcome me and answer any questions I had. Of course, many of my teachers helped shape me into who I am today. I consider myself lucky when I think back to my time at Parker. My introduction to many of my friends started through football during the summer/fall of 2010. I was definitely the outsider; the Latino kid from National City who was poking through the ‘bubble’ that is Francis Parker. Thankfully, I was quickly accepted by many, but not without having to play off a slightly different persona than who I really was at first. I remember having to play up this idea of being a tough, ghetto kid when in reality I just wanted to hide and fit in with the rest of the students. I tried my best to wear a clean uniform, comb my hair perfectly to the right, and enunciate every word.
If I could leave you with two pieces of advice that I would have wanted to hear in high school, number one would be to not be afraid to reach out for help. I really do believe that Francis Parker staff want the best for you in school and in life. Do not be afraid to talk to a trusted teacher or friend about the struggles that are happening in your life. If they don’t know the answer right away, I’m sure they know someone else who might. The second would be, as cliché as it is, to be yourself. Everyone has their own story to tell, and yours isn’t any less of a story than your peers, simply because you may have less than them. If you are a student in a situation like mine, being yourself is what is going to make you stand out as you move on to college and beyond. Don’t be afraid of it-- embrace it.
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