Success Stories

Taking the Chance to Reach My Dreams

Hello! Today, I want you to know something about me. First my name is Martha Marquez. I’m married and have two kids and yes, I am still in school and I’m proud of it.

“Start school again?” someone asked me, and I said “Yes why not, just because I’m married and have kids it doesn’t mean anything. I’m still young and I know I can do it.” Once I started school, the resistance to my starting school turned into complaining. Many people told me, “You are not going to be able to finish,” “What are you doing out of your house?” “You are going to overlook your family?” You know what I’m talking about; those things that somebody tells you when they don’t want you to be successful or they are scared. But you know what, I proved them wrong. I’m still here. I started taking classes at the Irvington Learning Center when I was only in ESL Level II, and now I’m in ABE level fast approaching GED classes.

Here at the Harris County Department of Education, I have learned so much. The teachers and staff here help me with everything from showing me how to use verbs correctly to constructing a good sentence. Before I came here I was too nervous to speak. I was afraid to use the wrong verb, say the wrong thing and someone would say, “No, you’re not supposed to say that.” Now, I know that won’t happen and here I can learn and feel safe and unashamed of learning. Everything is different. Like, I have more confidence in myself, I communicate better, and I can have a complete conversation in English. Like the time I had a meeting at my son’s new middle school with the teachers. We were speaking English without any problems. I felt like we were speaking my own language, but this time my own language was English.

A lot of people ask me if I ever studied here in the U.S. and I proudly respond “no” it’s my first time in school. and I said to them you should come to the school it’s always good to learn something. Believe me it is better than staying at home doing nothing. I know learning a new language is very difficult for many like us, but it isn’t impossible. I think it’s very important to reach for your dreams. For me this has always been one of my goals since I moved to this country, to fit in this society not because I have to, but because I love it. And I know now that if I continue to come to school I’m going to do it. At Harris County Department of Education they help us not just with English, also they help us in Job Readiness classes with orientation for a job, how to look for a good job, and how to prepared for the interview, prepare a resume. I’m glad, proud and lucky that I found this school. When I’m in school I feel good, comfortable and I like the way the teacher gives the class because I understand everything because when we don’t she takes the time to explain more until we get it.

Many people said “no it’s not true, you didn’t learn anything in there” and I respond that even if Harris County Department of Education were this little building with four chairs, if you really want to learn, it doesn’t matter where you study, you just learn. Since being here I learned a lot, and I told many people to come here.

I know it’s difficult for many of us because we have children to take care of, meals to prepare, clothes to wash, and a lot other stuff that we do as a mother and then after doing all of that we, make the time to come to school. It’s hard I know, but it’s worth it. Do not let anybody tell you wrong, that you can’t. Don’t believe them. I wish there were a way so you could see how I feel inside of me, how I’m getting what I want and for what I’m working for. I would let you see that I’m very proud of myself and I will stay here until I get my GED. Follow your heart in every aspect of your life, like I do. I take every chance because I want to be prepared. I came back to school because I felt something was missing in my life and now the Harris County Department of Education is helping me to make my dreams come true.

I sincerely recommend this school, its great, it’s in a good location and the most important thing is that the teachers are great people. Harris County Department of Education is a very good school to learn English as a second language. This school teaches you at different levels depending on your knowledge, if the teachers see that you’re not ready for the next step you’re going to be there until they see you are improving, and the teachers make it easy for you to learn.

That’s why I am speaking with you today, if you find a chair available in this school don’t just sit there for 5 minutes and then go, stay there all the way to the end. In the future I see myself with the house I want, with a good job, and if someone asked me where I studied I am going to hear myself say, “ I went to Harris County Department of Education and got my GED.” I thank you for the education you are giving me.