Migrant Student of Year a Study in Determination

Education has always been a top priority for 17-year-old Mayra Magana. But when the Fillmore High School senior suddenly lost her mother last year to liver failure, she felt her focus on academics slipping.

“It was really hard,” Mayra said. “Not just because I have more responsibility around the house and helping with my little sisters, but the whole trauma of me needing her. But I know she wanted me to do well in school; that was my motivation to study.”

Her hard work has not only earned her a 3.8 grade-point average, but the title of migrant student of the year for both Fillmore Unified School District and Ventura County.

“I was in shock,” Mayra said. “I’m sure there were a lot of people who deserved this as much as me, but it shows that all of my hard work is paying off.”

The idea behind the award, created through the state’s migrant education program, is to recognize the academic achievement of a student whose migrant parents have worked in agriculture.

When Mayra’s family moved to Ventura County from a small farm in Puruandiro, Mexico, 12 years ago, the only work her parents knew was in the fields.

As director of migrant education for Fillmore Unified, John Zermeno seeks nominations from teachers and counselors. The student with the most nominations wins.

The winner from each school district then competes for top honors in Ventura County. In addition to giving her a plaque honoring her achievement, the county is sending Mayra and her father, Alfonso, to the state migrant parent conference Friday through Sunday in Los Angeles.

The 23rd annual conference will feature speakers and more than 100 workshops, many in Spanish, geared toward migrant parents. Topics will include workers’ rights, education and hazards in the workplace.

“We always have very distinguished speakers who support migrant education and are able to communicate the importance of education to the parents,” said Frank Uribe, a state consultant with the migrant education program.

The students’ portion of the conference includes a trip to the Getty Museum, a workshop in which they learn about filling out college applications and financial aid forms, and a banquet in which they all receive medals for academic achievement.

All 22 regional winners are guaranteed a minimum scholarship of $500 through the state migrant education program.

“There is no state winner,” Uribe said. “We honor them all. To be among the top 22 out of 250,000 migrant students identified in the state is pretty amazing.”

Zermeno said Mayra stands out because of her seriousness about school.

“Her whole family was undereducated,” Zermeno said. “But Mayra is a really hard worker, just like her sister.”

Mayra’s sister Maleny earned the county’s migrant student honor in 2000. She is studying at Pepperdine University in Malibu to become a teacher.

Norma Perez-Sandford, Fillmore Unified’s migrant community liaison, said Maleny Magana is receiving more than $110,000 in scholarships.

“The parents thought education was very important,” Perez-Sandford said. “It’s so appropriate for both of these girls to get this award. Especially for Mayra, though. She has such inner strength, and I know she is missing her mom a lot.”

With graduation looming, Mayra is setting her sights on college, with UC Berkeley heading up her list.

She became interested after hearing a professor speak of the school while she attended a migrant leadership conference at UCLA last summer.

Unable to afford a campus visit, Mayra likes what she has seen on the school’s Web site. She plans to study international business and then go on to law school.

“There comes a time when you have to move on,” Mayra said. “College is a good way for me to become more independent. I just hope I’m ready.

“My father has already given me his blessing, so now all I need are scholarships,” she added.

She said her father has continued to be a dedicated parent after her mom’s death and remains very involved in his children’s education.

The family recently moved to Santa Paula to be closer to relatives who will help raise Mayra’s 9- and 10-year-old sisters after she goes to college.

For now, Mayra said she is thankful for the ride to school from a neighbor, enabling her to finish her senior year at Fillmore. After school, she helps around the house and takes care of her younger sisters until her father gets home from his construction job.

When asked what she does for fun, Mayra paused for a moment.

“There’s not a lot of time for me to go out and have fun right now, but I know all of my hard work will be worth it in the end,” she said. “My mom would be really proud of me.”