Dora Dominguez

ENGL 2010-518

October 7, 2019

Reaching Across the Horizon

“Just let me quit school and look for a job. Ann Beth Martinez told her mom as they

argued about Ann’s grades in middle school. “I want to help you and Dad, and we all know that

I won’t be able to go to college because we can not afford it”. Achieving a higher education is a

challenge to everyone but certain circumstances in life can make it even a more significant

problem for some low-income students. Sometimes they do not complete their college education

or even worse, they don’t even consider enrolling in college. They feel it is out of their

reach. According to the Hechinger Report

up to 40% of low-income students

accepted to college in the spring, never

make it to their first day of school in the

fall. They are in tuition sticker shock

(hechigerreport.org).

It is very sad to acknowledge that

the above statistic regarding tuition

sticker show is probably correct. There

were many factors why I did not go to

college right after I graduated from high

Photo 1: Lucy and Jose Martinez
school, but I know for a fact that coming
from a low-income family was definitely one of them. I know that the tuition sticker shock is

real for me even now that I am an adult and I am not considered low-income. It is concerning to

look at the cost of tuition and books and to think how I am going to come up with the money to

pay for it.

Lucy and Jose Martinez emigrated from Mexico in 1989. They have one daughter, Ann.

At 13 years of age, Ann did not have the motivation to excel in school. She did not have any

future goals, not even considered graduating from high school. Neither parent had completed

high school. Yet, Lucy was going to be a key component in Ann’s decision to pursue higher

education.

Lucy was in a car accident in 2007 that left her with a severe herniated disk in her lower

back. Unfortunately, her employer did not offer affordable health insurance and she could not

afford the surgery needed. The back injury allowed her to work only temporary part-time jobs.

Lucy was allergic to strong pain medications, so most of the time, she had to endure the pain and

push through the day to continue her life and do her daily activities.

Jose worked as a maintenance worker for over 25 years. When both of his knees gave

out, Jose received the option of early retirement or termination of his job. As a blue-collar

worker, Jose’s benefits were not the best, and his insurance did not cover the knee replacement

surgeries that he needed. Jose was physically unable to continue to work; therefore, he chose to

retire. His retirement/disability benefits are just under one thousand dollars a month.
 Ann was in 7th grade when Lucy had to

quit her job after the car accident and money got

even tighter than usual. Ann asked to be

allowed to quit school and to begin working to

help the household financially to what Lucy

replied:

“You need to go to school and obtain a

college degree. I want you to set up goals, reach

Photo 2: Lucy Martinez, holding Ann Beth when she was 3 across the horizon. Pursue an education in what
years old.

you enjoy the most, build a career so that you

love whatever do you for a living”

Lucy had worked for 12 years as a presser at a local drycleaner. The temperature in the

pressing area could reach up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Lucy would stand for eight hours a day,

doing the same repetitive motion, twisting her upper body from left to right, then lifting her arms

high to reach the collar of the shirts that she was pressing. Lucy was given a 10-minute break

and a 30-minute lunch every day. During their lunch hour they would unfold a table by the

pressing area where they would eat their lunch. Lucy would press anywhere from 300-350 shirts

a day. If she had time left over, she would go and help others get their work done. This type of

job was not something she loved doing or wanted for her daughter. She was going to do

anything possible to prevent the same outcome for her daughter. Lucy was aware that college

was not inexpensive, and most children in the community where they live did not even think

about enrolling in college, but Ann was going to be different. According to a study conducted by
the Southern New Hampshire University, in high poverty schools, 51% of students enroll in

college, compared to 76% in low poverty schools (Collegeforamerica.org).

7th grade was a tough year for Ann and her family both emotionally and financially. Peer

pressure was just around the corner and Ann did not have the desire to get good grades. It was

easier to misbehave than to do schoolwork.

“Good grades? What is the point if I am not going to be able to attend college,” she

recalls thinking.

No one either in their immediate or extended family had graduated from college at that

point. A few had attended college for a little bit. For some reason, higher education had not

been instilled in their family over the generations. This generation, however, was different, Lucy

was there to make sure her daughter did not give up on herself, and she would not give up on her

daughter.

Ann continued in middle

school. There was an

improvement in 8th grade, but 9th

grade was even better. Ann had

played the cello since 5th grade

because she had to pick an

instrument. But along the way

between 7th and 9th grade, Ann

Photo 3: Ann Beth posing with friends after a play in 10th grade
discovered her love for music

and acting and decided to become a teacher. She knew her salary as a teacher most likely would
not rank very high, but she would have a career and would love what she did for a living. Lucy

was very supportive and encouraging of the idea.

Ann had started working a part-time job and had started saving some money. Her parents

had a little bit of money saved as well but were probably not going to be enough. They applied

for FAFSA and luckily were approved for partial benefits.

“It was time to transition to a new school, but this

time is not any school, it is college” Ann was scared. Ann

knew she would have to increase her work hours to be able

to afford her expenses. Her parents could not help with

money, but they agreed that as long as Ann continued in

school, they would provide room and board and would help

with some money as possible.

Ann graduated with special honors in drama, she

had been a part of multiple school plays, she was a

Photo 4: Senior Year Award's Ceremony

madrigal, and had been the President of the Orchestra her

senior year. She received couple of art scholarships, and

she hoped that along with her almost full-time job and FAFSA it would be enough to put her

through college.

Ann worked at a local grocery 35 hours a week. She was very well-liked at her job

because she was always aware of her surroundings. She was a cashier but that did not stop her

from watching out for shoplifters or going down an idle to clean up when someone dropped a jar

of tomato sauce. Customers loved Ann’s sweet smile and friendly chat as she was checking them
out. Ann was always in movement which made her one of the best employees but also was very

exhausting.

Ann would get home around 11:30 pm after the store had closed and she had help clean

up the check-out line. She would open the door, barely lifting her feet, carrying her cello and her

backpack and would smile as her mom would meet her as she would have dinner before

engaging in her homework.

Ann struggled with math even though she would attend the tutoring center regularly.

Ann’s night had just begun. She would need to put in at least a couple of hours of homework

before going to bed. Math1030 was the most difficult class Ann took and almost caused her to

quit college. After failing the Math 1030 twice, Ann decided that she could not do it anymore

and she gave up. Lucy told Ann to work fewer hours and as a family, they would come up with

the difference in salary so that she could continue to pay for her college. According to

huffpost.com, low-income students drop out of college because they are overwhelmed with the

costs of tuition, textbooks, living expenses, etc. They don’t have enough time to work and study

(huffpost.com).

“I believe in you, I know you are capable of passing this class, and you will graduate”

Lucy assured her. Lynda J Sax and Katherine Lynk Watman claim in their study “Studying the

Impact of Parental Involvement on College Student Development” that parent involvement

makes a positive impact in students’ adjustment and success in college. Especially for female

students that reported positive relationships with parents reported higher levels of both social

competence and psychological well-being (p. 237).

 Ann decided to take the class one more

time and after a stressful semester, she passed

Math 1030 with a “B”. It took Ann four years to

graduate with an Associates Degree in Music.

She is now a music teacher for a local Charter

High School. Where she has the opportunity to

motivate other students that are in the same

situation she was at that age. Ann is the pride of

her family. She is the motivation of future

generations. Whether her students, younger

cousins, or her children, they will know that it is

Photo 5: College Graduate in Music
possible to graduate from college, and she will

be there to encourage them on.

Works Cited
Collegeforamerica.org. https://collegeforamerica.org/college-completion-low-income-students/. n.d.

hechigerreport.org. https://hechingerreport.org/why-are-low-income-students-not-showing-up-to-
college-even-though-they-have-been-accepted/. 14 08 2015.

huffpost.com. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/why-most-students-drop-out-of-college-and-how-we-
can_b_5a5d9f77e4b01ccdd48b5f46. 16 Jan 2018.

Sax, Linda J., and Katherine Lynk Wartman. "Studying the impact of parental involvement on college
student development: A review and agenda for research." Higher education: Handbook of theory and
research. Springer, Dordrecht, 2010. 219-255.

Photos we courtesy of Ann Martinez. Ann Martinez released and consent to published photos.