Migrant students in Manatee rise from the fields to chase the American dream

Ruben Centeno’s parents moved from Mexico to the United States in 1970. They harvested produce between fields in Manatee County and Michigan, simultaneously raising a family of seven.

They started landscaping and then built a company, paving the way for Centeno’s own American dream. He earned a full academic scholarship, enrolled at the University of South Florida and graduated with a degree in biomedical sciences, but health problems derailed his plans to attend medical school.

A brain tumor caused double vision in his right eye, and he endured months of radiation treatment, exhaustion, nausea and recovery. Now a science teacher at Palmetto High School, Centeno plans to revisit medical school and continue his pursuit of the American dream.

It all began with the Migrant Education Program, he said, addressing a crowd at the 33rd annual Migrant Education Awards Ceremony, hosted at Lakewood Ranch High School on Thursday evening.

“My story is just one of many other migrants who have accomplished much through hard work and determination,” he said.

Migrants are people who move throughout the state and country for seasonal work, and migrant programs work to support the health and education of students who are constantly moving. They rotate between schools, often while learning English and working to support their families.

The local Migrant Education Program, within the School District of Manatee County, honored 23 graduating seniors and several juniors at Thursday’s ceremony. It also recognized the dedicated families and educators who contributed to their success.

Several students were the first in their family to graduate from high school, and most have plans to attend a local college and transform their future in Manatee.

Kaylin Quijano is one of those people. She raised two siblings and her own son, taking on the roles of a caretaker and a student at Bayshore High School.

Quijano plans to attend Manatee Technical College and become an emergency medical technician, according to the letter she wrote for graduation.

“Juggling two jobs, school and being looked up to has been a challenge, and I have failed many times,” she wrote. “I am thankful that my family has believed in and looked up to me, and have given me every reason to succeed and set an example.”

Jessica Aquino will graduate from Lakewood Ranch High School and enroll at State College of Florida to become a dental assistant. Her parents work at Falkner Farms, in Myakka City, where they pick cucumbers, blueberries and oranges, according to her graduation letter.

“I started school when I was five; it was a struggle for me because I didn’t know English,” she wrote. “but with time I learned quickly. I will be the first in my family to graduate from high school.”

Falkner Farms was among seven businesses and nonprofits to award scholarships on Thursday evening. The celebration also included a visit from Superintendent Cynthia Saunders and school board Chairman Dave Miner.

While the ceremony honors graduating migrants for their hard-earned achievements, it also serves to motivate younger students who are walking the same path. And for others, such as 18-year-old Pedro Lopez, graduation represents the chance to further support their families.

“I want to have a really good job and become successful and give everything my parents ever gave me and did for me so they don’t have to suffer out in the fields anymore,” Lopez wrote.

This story was originally published April 26, 2019 at 11:27 AM.