“I was a little bit disoriented after graduating high school. I was a conditional resident at the time. I wanted to go to UT. But because of my status, I would have had to pay non-resident fees. Our family could not afford the tuition. And … Continue readingGroundskeeper sets her on path to bright future
“I attended elementary schools that had a bilingual program up until fourth grade. That’s when I transitioned to all English at San Jacinto Elementary. I remember it being a shock. I went from doing very well in class and being very verbal to going into … Continue readingBilingual student lived in two different worlds
Ahime Ornelas was born in Mexico, but she has lived in Baytown with her family since she was about 6 years old. After her parents became U.S. citizens, they put their daughters on the path to citizenship as well. It was a long road, but … Continue readingDreamers can excel with an opportunity
“I think I was in my third year of teaching at Travis Elementary. My sister also was teaching there. We had a great partnership. I taught reading and writing, and she taught math and science. “One day we walked into a faculty meeting, and everybody … Continue readingBecoming U.S. citizen brings tears of joy
“Years ago, Oprah had a show about rape survivors, incest survivors, all these tragedies. They talked about how this is just today. Tomorrow is a new day, and there is hope. I remember thinking that way as a child. This is just today. One day … Continue readingRape survivors should reflect on ‘who am I really?’
“My father was molesting me. It wasn’t rape. It was more inappropriate touching. He also was verbally abusive. I just had to get out of there. So when I was about 19, I left my parents’ house and moved in with one of my sisters. … Continue readingMolestation, rape victim has overcome
“My faith, my family and some good friends are what’s getting me through. They’ve helped me a lot. Still, there are times when I get mad at God. I’ll say, ‘God, you have all these angels. Why didn’t you send them down to save my … Continue reading‘I have a lot of questions for God when I see him’
In November 2016, Barbara DeRamus’ world came crashing down on her when she learned that her daughter, Cynthia Morris, and granddaughters, Kirsten Fritch and Breanna Pavlicek, had been murdered. While she continues to struggle with that reality, Barbara will never forget her love for all … Continue readingLove was strong for murdered mom, daughters
“Cynthia had been helping me and my husband with our gun holster business. She was a hard worker, dedicated and on time for the most part. So when she didn’t show up that Tuesday morning, we were wondering what was going on. “With her being … Continue readingShocking murders were ‘just so unbelieveable’
Talk about your whirlwind romances. Keith Dick shares the story of how he met Sheryl and convinced her to marry him and move to Japan. This all happened within the course of two weeks. They celebrated their 43rd wedding anniversary in 2017. Related: Whirlwind … Continue readingThey meet, they marry, they move to Japan