WAVE Blog

Most statistics show that I am destined to become a gang member, a high school drop out, or a criminal. But I am not any of those things. I am a great student, a leader in my community, a NAVY ROTC cadet, a son who provides financially for his family, a great employee, an intern, and a future educator.

I represent the small group of Latino students who will NOT be dropping out of school.

Picture the statistics. Of 100 Latino students, only 26 will graduate from high school. Out of those 26, only 11 will go on to college. And of the 11, less than 6 will graduate from college. I guarantee you, I will graduate from college. But without your help, my 94 classmates will not be so lucky.

How will someone like me graduate? How does someone that arrived in this country just 4 years ago avoid joining gangs, learn English, enjoy helping others, and want to serve America?

Let me tell you my story.

My mother came alone to the United States six years ago to give me a better life. Her help meant food on the table, better education and better clothes. It was hard – missing birthdays, holidays, Mother’s Day. It wasn’t until six years after she left that I got to spend those days with her again. Even though she motivated me, my first year in the U.S. was scary – a different language to learn, a new life and friends, and a very different culture. Because of the language I repeated the 9th grade three times. Now I am graduating to 11th grade with a 3.0 GPA, meanwhile maintaining a part-time job, participating in after school clubs and completing an internship.There were many times I wanted to give up.

In my neighborhood, a lot of kids are in gangs, and most of them don’t graduate from high school. My friends had no choice but to “live the gang life.” I had another choice.

Three years ago, I joined a program called “OLAS.” OLAS stands for Opportunities for Leadership, Achievement, and Success. In Spanish, OLAS means “waves” because it was created by a national organization called Work, Achievement, Values, and Education — WAVE.

My WAVE program is for students that are new to the United States and it is held twice a week at Bell Multicultural High School here in DC. The lessons help me gain leadership skills, build good relationships with other students and teachers, and learn things that are important to my every day life. The students don’t just sit and listen – we get up, get involved, get to know and care for each other, work in teams, and plan our own activities with guidance from our adult leader.

I’m learning skills that are making me a better student and a better person. And one day it will make me better in a career. I will be a citizen soon — but WAVE has already taught me what it takes to be a citizen of value. It means that you work hard, share what you learn with others, give back, and lead yourself and your friends in a positive direction.

It is because of WAVE that I stand here in the White House as an Honor Roll student, and not as a gang member or a school dropout like some of my friends. In the future, I plan to graduate, go to college, and get a degree in Education. One day I want to be a teacher. I hope that by that time, schools will be a place where no student drops out. But to get there, here are some things you must do for me, and other students like me:

1. Make sure that every school has a way of supporting the students as a whole person. Only part of doing well in school has anything to do with learning the material in the textbook. Middle school students, and even high school students, are still growing up – and they need to know someone cares. The most important thing I take home is how school makes me feel. When my teachers care about what’s going on in my life, and show me that they really believe I can succeed, that’s what makes all the difference to me. It keeps me going, especially when I work until 11:30 at night and still have homework to do. My WAVE leader is Estefani Rondon. She was an immigrant just like me, and now she has a college degree, a fun job as a WAVE teacher, and she is a great US citizen. She has helped me learn that I am important and I really belong. She has taught me that I belong in the WAVE program, I belong in school, and one day I will belong in college and in a good career.

2. Give all students – especially the ones that don’t seem interested in school — more opportunities to be a better person, a leader, and to serve the community. The more I give to others, the more I get in return. My friends from OLAS and I are giving back by writing a play called “Through Our Eyes” that will be performed for my community on Saturday at Bell Multicultural High School. It’s about a typical family in my neighborhood – that faces alcoholism, domestic violence, discrimination, immigration and human trafficking. I’ll be playing a teenager in a gang who hangs out on the street and doesn’t want to go to school. We will be donating the money we raise to the homeless.

3. Give other students the opportunity to experience what I have in WAVE. Every student could get to meet business volunteers that come to speak to us. And every student could learn how to treat others and how to take responsibility for themselves.

My life has changed so much since I moved here. And I believe that because of the WAVE program, I will graduate, go to college, and change the life of another student some day. But I need your help. Together, we can help prevent students from dropping out of school.

10th grader Saul Romero got a rare opportunity to speak at the White House today, and this was his speech. The White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives and the America’s Promise Alliance asked him to explain his personal challenges and what the country can do to improve schools so that fewer students fail to graduate.

The OLAS program in which Saul participates is based on the WAVE After School program design and curriculum. If you have questions about the program, contact J. Tyler.

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