Midland College student Ana Tarango exemplifies the resilience often required of immigrants to succeed in school. Her parents immigrated to the United States from Mexico in 2016, seeking a better life for their daughter. Upon arrival, Tarango faced immediate challenges, including navigating middle school without knowing English.
"I remember that first day of school," Ana recalled. "It was so big compared to the small elementary school where I attended in Mexico of only 150 students. I cried at school the first day, and then for the rest of that week, I cried when I got home. For the entire first month, I begged my parents to go back to Mexico. Fortunately, I made some great friends and the teachers at Abell were very supportive. By the time I finished my 7th-grade year, I was understanding and speaking English and was thankful to be in Midland."
According to a Midland College news release, Ana is originally from Colonia Soto, Chihuahua, Mexico, which is roughly two and a half hours from Presidio. As she progressed in learning English during middle school, she earned A’s and B’s while attending Legacy High School. She graduated at 17 in May 2022 and enrolled in Midland College that fall as a Legacy Scholarship recipient. Recently, she graduated from Midland College with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Business Management and was also a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. This summer, she plans to get married and work toward a bachelor’s degree in organizational management from the same institution.
"Ana was such a joy to coach over the past couple of years," her Legacy Scholar coach Kevin Goldsmith said. "It has been so rewarding to see this exceptionally capable individual set her own goals, surmount really frustrating barriers and ultimately achieve them." Goldsmith added: "Ana brings to mind the dictum by Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to scale Mount Everest: 'It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.' Ana has conquered, and it is exciting to see her begin the next chapter in her life’s remarkable story."