Double the Determination to Succeed : Twins: Santa Ana sisters struggle to support themselves and pay tuition at a private high school.

For most of Mater Dei High School’s seniors, last Friday’s prom was an evening of limousines, formal gowns and slow dances. But for Danielle and Julia Delgado, in their grease-splattered work uniforms, it was another night of frying burgers, filling soft drink cups and dropping fries into vats of hot oil.

It sounds like a Cinderella story, but this time there was no fairy godmother waiting to rescue them at the end of the day.

The sisters spend most of their time--by choice--outside the classroom working full time at a fast-food restaurant to pay their own way at the private Santa Ana Roman Catholic high school because their parents can no longer afford the tuition.

The inseparable 18-year-olds--identical twins--say they have learned to rely on each other through times that have been difficult financially and, at times, emotionally.

The hard work that has enabled them to stay at Mater Dei has also caused them to miss many of the social trappings other students enjoy--they have never attended a football game or a dance.

“We get upset listening to our friends sometimes when they say things like, ‘I’ve got so much to do this weekend,’ and they mean they have to go shopping,” Danielle said.

They have supported their own education (at $4,000 a year each, plus books and uniforms) since their sophomore year, but if that wasn’t enough, they moved into an apartment last December and now pay their own living expenses.

Though they graduate Saturday, the twins plan to continue their mutual support system as they look ahead to college.

“I’ve surpassed Danielle at work,” Julia said. “I can make more money when I get into management to send her to college. Then when she graduates she can do the same for me.”

When their parents divorced four years ago, the twins’ mother, Charlene Delgado, took out a second mortgage to pay for their first two years at Mater Dei. “I did it because I wanted them to have the values of our church,” Charlene said.

The twins contributed by helping to run the nursery at a neighborhood church. Even then, there was no more money to pay for the third year, their mother said.

“Our mother told us if we wanted to stay at Mater Dei we had to pay for it ourselves,” Danielle said.

The twins chose the hardships of working over the uncertainties of public school because Mater Dei had become a second home to them. Also, they were worried about tales they had heard of violence in the public schools.

Mater Dei “is a security blanket I guess,” said Julia. “All our lives we have been in private school, and school has always been a safe place to go.”

“The staff at Mater Dei makes you feel like they really care,” added Danielle.

They both got jobs at In-N-Out Burgers in Costa Mesa and began working as much as the law would allow. Although they could only work until 12:30 a.m. because they were under 18 at the time, they often had to stay until the restaurant closed at 2 a.m. to get a ride home from a co-worker.

“We were taking seven classes, going to school at 7 and getting home at 3, then get the bus at 4 and work until 12:30. It was hard,” Danielle said.

At the same time, the twins’ relationship with their mother was deteriorating. Constant disagreements about money and housework drove the twins to seek legal emancipation so they could move out on their own (minors cannot live on their own without either legal emancipation or permission from their parents).

A social worker told the twins that they would legally be adults before the long process for emancipation was completed and suggested instead that they work things out with their mother for her permission to leave home.

Their mother agreed, despite her reservations.

“It broke my heart,” she said. “These are very good girls, very responsible. But I didn’t think they understood how hard things are, trying to work, go to school and pay all the bills.”

The twins moved Dec. 1 from their mother’s Costa Mesa home to an apartment in Santa Ana they shared, until recently, with two other friends.

At the time they moved out, they decided regretfully that they were also going to have to leave Mater Dei and finish their senior year at a public school. However, a counselor intervened and enabled them to remain at Mater Dei.

“They came in here with their transfer papers in hand, tears in their eyes and said they had to leave school,” said Dulcie McCracken, the twins’ academic counselor. “They were having personal problems at home and said they just didn’t have the money to continue here.

“I asked them to slow down a minute and give me some time to see if anything could be done.”

With the help of McCracken and another counselor, Sister Pat Tierney, school officials agreed to allow the Delgados to pay their tuition in monthly $100 installments, which will continue after the girls graduate (one of the twins’ older brothers, who also graduated from Mater Dei, gave them $2,000 toward the money they owe the school).

Although the school must insist on tuition being paid, officials will do all they can to make payment of the fees as easy as possible, Tierney said.

“They have worked so hard, both academically and physically,” she added. “I have a real fondness for both girls. Everyone at school was willing to work things out so they could stay.”

The two counselors were also able to knock the twins’ class schedule down to just the four classes needed for graduation, instead of the seven the school usually requires. “Now we go to school from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. We still get behind on our homework, but it’s much better than before,” Danielle said.

Even cutting down their schedule meant a sacrifice, as the girls had to give up one of their few non-academic high school activities, the handbell choir.

It was also a loss to the school. “With their long dark hair and their beauty, they were the focal point for the handbell choir,” Tierney said.

It’s not unheard of that students work to help their parents with tuition, but McCracken said she is unaware of any other students who are also supporting themselves. She said she is impressed with the twins’ determination and academic performance.

“Just because they are out on their own does not mean they are getting special treatment in the classroom,” she said. “Their teachers are aware of their situation and may accept papers a little late, but the girls are expected to do the same amount of work as any of the other students. And they’re doing it.”

Their busy schedules have resulted in their grades slipping a little, but Danielle is holding onto her 3.0 at the academically rigorous school, while Julia will probably graduate with a slightly lower grade-point average.

Their fast-food jobs barely cover the $150 they each must pay monthly in rent and other living expenses. In addition, they are currently without enough roommates, having parted company with their two friends a month ago. But an older sister is moving in soon, and another brother’s girlfriend and her young daughter are living with them now.

“It’s hard, but we don’t eat much,” Danielle said. “It always seems like things just come up, we never have enough money for everything. I make $6.75 an hour but I should be getting a raise soon. Jules makes $7.25.”

Both said being able to continue at Mater Dei is worth the hardships. The school, they said, is like their second home, a stable environment where they feel cared for and supported.

“Dealing with all our family problems, we learned that we can only rely on each other,” Danielle said. “And school, everyone there has made us feel, I don’t know, like we can do anything.”

The sisters said they are now on good terms with both their parents and are grateful for the help they receive from them, usually in the form of rides to and from work.

“I couldn’t be more proud of their determination at finishing at their school,” said their father, Armando Delgado. “Whatever they do, they do very well.”

Although they have a close group of friends, they are aware that their lives are different from their peers’.

Sometimes, for instance, friends will complain about their cars and wish for a new one. “Geez, I’d like to have a car. I’d like to have those kinds of problems,” Danielle said. Not being able to afford a car, the twins commute to work and school primarily on buses.

As it stands, the sisters will continue working full time through their years at a community college. By the time they are ready to transfer to a university, Julia hopes to be managing an In-N-Out restaurant and will then support Danielle as she attends a university. Once Danielle has graduated, it will be her turn to support her sister through school.

Julia had hoped to go into the Air Force and become a fighter pilot, but at 5-foot-2, she does not meet the height requirement. She is unsure of what she will study once she completes her general education requirements. Danielle hopes to eventually go to UC Irvine and major in environmental engineering.

Again, their Mater Dei family is trying to help. McCracken arranged for them to receive $200 in scholarships to start school this fall, and she is working to find more scholarships.

“It’s not just that they are interested in education,” Tierney said. “They have good values and goals. They want to be ready for life.

“They’ve seen some real difficult times, and I think being twins has been a real blessing for them, in that they have each other to lean on. I believe no matter what they choose to do, they will succeed.”