2008 Woodie Awards
By Lauren Kawam
Issue date: 3/20/08 Section: News
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As principal of Gateway Early College High School, Watterson decided to share her undocumented student's thank-you letters with members of the community whose financial support and donations allowed them to keep taking college classes, despite being declined for in-state tuition.
She published them in the bilingual book, "Documented Dreams."
When did you decided to write this book?
As the letters came in, I put them in a folder. My original intention was to mail the letters to the donors, but as I began reading them, it was clear that these letters were about much more than saying thank you, they were the kids' heartfelt assurances that they would earn A's in their college classes, that they would work hard to give back to people who believed in them. They were also stories of the kids' individual dreams as well as their understanding of the American dream. Holding these deeply personal, powerful letters, I truly felt like I had a fire in my hands.
Being a principal at a high school, were you surprised to receive such compassionate thank-you letters?
I was not at all surprised … these students have conducted themselves with such poise and such perseverance in the face of terrible adversity and disappointment. They have never once shown anger; they have consistently shown up to school and given of their best every day, even last semester when they couldn't take college classes. Consider their disappointment when Proposition 300 limited their access to a college education; it forced me to discriminate against them every day, because I could use my state funding to pay for legal residents' college courses, but I could no longer use it to pay for them. Next, the DREAM Act failed in the Senate last fall - that would have created a path to citizenship for them. Then, the Employer Sanctions Law was passed, threatening to split families. I have a 15-year-old American-born student whose mother faces deportation. It's inhumane.
What do you think motivated the students to write these letters?
The students were motivated to write the letters for two reasons; first, they understand the importance of gratitude, and secondly they are proud of all they have done as students. They have said their Pledge of Allegiance every day in grade school, they have demonstrated the maturity to successfully complete college coursework while still in high school at the only Early College in Phoenix.
Was there any one time, other than the DREAM Act itself, where you said to yourself, "Wow, I've just got to do this?"
These kids are the most sympathetic of all immigrant groups. They had no choice in coming to this country, and they have done everything their parents and teachers have told them to do. They have believed their teachers' assurances when they said, "Just stay in school, and you'll be able to pursue your dreams." I believe I had to make their stories more public, because we educators have made promises to these kids, and we need to help fulfill those promises. I think these students should be honored for their resilience; they want nothing more than to contribute positively to the only country they have ever known.
Yvonne Waterson will discuss "Documented Dreams" at Changing Hands Bookstore, 6428 S. McClintock Drive in Tempe on Saturday, March 15 at 2 p.m.
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