The Hon. Lissette G. Fernández, Peekskill City Court Judge and Luis Segarra, Principal & CFO, The Crescent Companies & Peekskill Rotary Club sponsored the 1st Annual National Hispanic Heritage Month Student Essay Contest.
Peekskill Rotary’s National Hispanic Heritage Month Student Essay Contest was open to all students enrolled in the Peekskill City School District in grades 4th-12th. Students submitted a written essay describing what this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month theme – “Esperanza: A Celebration of Hispanic Heritage and Hope”– meant to them. Five winners were selected and awarded a $100.00 scholarship.
6th - 8th Grade Winners
Jonathan Farez
Peekskill Middle School: 7th Grade
Proud to be Peruvian
My mother comes from Lima, Peru in the city of El Agustino. And at the age of 22 she came to the United States to raise me and my two other brothers, she moved near the Peekskill Middle School in a red house, my mother had me when she was 26 and then we moved to another in Peekskill My mother left me and my older brother with a babysitter which was her close friend every night because she had to go to work and come back home late, it was only me, my older brother and my mom she had to work extra since it was only us and she had to provide food for us and stuff we needed. As we grew up, we eventually went to school my mom had to stop working because my youngest brother was born, things were more easier with my step-dad helping us around the house and cooking for us and dropping us off at school so that things were more easy because before my mom was always late to everything she would even skip breakfast to drop us off to school and get to work in time. My stepdad would take care of us with the baby, and he puts the baby in the crib to start cooking for my mom probably because she would be tired of work and really hungry because my mom used to work from 8:00am-6:00pm which is about 10 hours of work. Now we grew up, I’m 12, my older brother is 14 and the youngest is 8 years old, my mom has to work more because us as kids we need stuff or we would just want it, my mom wakes us up on time for school to get change, eat and most of the time she would drop us off but if she has work in the morning we would usually walk to school or get picked up by my brothers friend. My mom is the best, she is always encouraging us when we are at our lowest and she is really hard working, she would work all day just to provide for us, I want to be like my mom when I’m older I would treat everybody nicely and would always try to cheer up somebody that is sad all the time, and I would help the people in need. I would be like my mom when I'm older and I will always do my best Just like she does. She is the best and nicest mom in the world. I am Proud to Be Peruvian.
Ismael Ramirez
Peekskill Middle School: 8th Grade
My Mom’s Immigration Story
(My Mom’s immigration Story) My Mom lived in a poor house with Grandma and Grandpa in Mexico before I was born. She had no electricity and not a lot of running water. Also, barely any food and water. She gave birth to two girls that were born in Mexico. So, Mom decided to go to the USA, but the two sisters wanted to stay and "take care of Grandma and Grandpa. • The 2 sisters were 18 and 19. My Mom said, "Ok, you could stay in Mexico and take care of Grandma and Grandpa.· So my mom went to get her passport to move to the United States of America.
She went on an airplane to the United States of America at Yonkers. She stayed there for a couple of years. Then I was born in Yonkers. One year later my sister was born. My mom decided to move somewhere else, so she decided to move to Peekskill. She stayed there for a couple years. Afterwards, my brother was there so it was a big family and we had fun. Then years later, my sister was born. A couple years later my grandma passed away. My mom started to cry about her mother passing away. It was a sad moment for our family. After a couple months she got over it but she still remembers she has two daughters in Mexico and her dad. Couple months passed by. My sister in Mexico got two dogs and chickens. Years later my sister grew up and had a fight. They started to pull their hair and one of them pulled too hard and hurt her hair. She had to keep her hair up to heal and one sister didn't help her grandpa and her sister around the house. This was my mom immigration story. My Mom hoped that moving to America was a good choice because we could have a great lifestyle and have a good career. Also, to have a good place and have good people around me. She had to sacrifice a lot for us to have a good place and I wouldn't be here typing any of this without my mom's sacrifice. This is why my mom is brave and would give us a best life for us just to make our family happy. That is why I love my mom and always will. Also, I will spend time with mom before she is gone. You won't know when your mom will be gone. Lastly you won't know what life will throw at you.