Student Nominations for NAEHS

 El Pueblo-Liberty

January 2007

El Pueblo-Liberty nominates Lidia Sanchez for induction into the National Adult Ed Honor Society. She has always had a strong work ethic and is a dedicated, determined student and an active member of Student Leadership Council and Border Action Network. Lidia is an outstanding role model and an inspiration to other students.

As a child in Guadalajara , Mexico , Lidia Sanchez never had the opportunity to attend school. She grew up with 5 brothers and 2 sisters. Since Lidia was the oldest of eight children, her father decided that she should stay home and help her mother cook, clean, wash clothes and watch her twin brothers. She felt envious because her cousin and friends went to school, but it was too expensive for Lidia to attend, and besides, her mother needed her help around the house.

More than thirty-two years ago Lidia moved to the United States as a young adult, but she only spoke Spanish and was illiterate in both Spanish and English. She always worked as a cook in a Mexican restaurant even while raising her five children. During her first 30 years in America , she could only speak a little bit of English; she was embarrassed whenever she tried because nobody could understand her.

First, Lidia tackled learning the alphabet, then she learned how to speak, read and write English, and finally, she will soon realize her long-time dream of becoming a U.S. citizen when in March she takes the Citizenship test. Lidia’s motto is, “It was hard to learn English, but it’s never too hard nor too late.”

She started at the bottom, but has risen to the top and sets a great example for others who may think it is too late!