Family achieves American dream through education
May 21—The graduation of Pedro Garcia-Castillo at Palestine High School is a defining moment of one family fully realizing the American dream.
The American dream has been a long-time model of prosperity for people around the world. It is the belief that regardless of where someone was born, and what class they were born into, they can attain their own version of success in a society in which upward mobility is possible for everyone.
A college education for one's children is traditionally viewed as a major part of the American dream.
Pedro's father, Jesus Garcia Castillo, was 5- years-old when his mother passed away. His father left him in Mexico for a few years before bringing him to America to live in Chicago, Illinois.
When Jesus reached high school, his father wanted him to quit school and go to work. Jesus wanted to get his education. He defied his father and with the help of friends and family he was able to get his high school diploma.
Since he was still undocumented, Jesus could not go to college at that time. However, when President Ronald Reagan passed The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 which granted amnesty to about three million undocumented immigrants in the United States, Jesus received a scholarship to play college soccer. He studied business administration and international business.
He did this all without the support of his father. There were no extras provided.
He later married his wife, Hilda and had three children; Martha, Jesus M. and Pedro. All three children were born in Texas.
Hilda grew up in Mexico. Hilda said youth in Mexico do not have the same educational opportunities. When a student reaches the ninth grade, if their parents cannot pay for school, they are done. Hilda was only able to go through the ninth grade. It was a cousin of Hilda's who helped Jesus get through high school and introduced the couple.
Throughout their lives, Jesus stressed the importance of education to his children. He encouraged his children to strive for excellence and rewarded good grades with monetary awards.
After moving around, the family finally settled in Palestine. It was here that they all flourished.
Jesus went to work for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and Hilda became the chef for the Crystal Lake Club, where she and her family are well loved.
It was her friends there that helped her to through the process of getting her American citizenship.
Their children excelled in sports and academics at Palestine Independent School District.
"My father was pretty strict about education," Jesus M. said. "Bare minimum was a 90 and anything below a 95 was something that could be improved on."
Martha, the oldest graduated fourth in her class with her Associates Degree from Trinity Vally Community College. She then attended A&M and earned her Bachelors in Industrial and Systems Engineering.
Jesus M. graduated as Valedictorian with his Associates Degree from TVCC. He graduated Saturday, May 14 from Texas A&M with a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering.
"Since I was pretty young, I really wanted to take advantage of every opportunity that I had and my parents did not," Jesus M. said. "They have supported me in whatever I wanted to do. When I played soccer as a little kid, when I played football in middle school and high school, when I was in power lifting and when I did academic competitions, they were always behind me 100%. They always pushed me to see what I could do."
The Garcia-Castillo children have visited their family in Mexico and understand how privileged they are to have the education they have.
"They have to pay just to be able to go to a decent public school," Jesus M. said. "When I got to go to a pretty good one for free."
Friday, Pedro, the youngest, graduated fourth in the Palestine High School Class of 2022. He also has his Associates Degree from TVCC. He plans to attend A&M this fall and pursue a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering.
"It means a lot to me to be graduating from high school with my associates," Pedro said. "I just want to make my parents proud."
"Pedro continues the outstanding work ethic of his siblings," said PISD Superintendent Jason Marshall. "He is not only a strong student academically, but a leader in his athletic pursuits. We wish him the best as he pursues his engineer degree at Texas A&M University. We rest confident, he will represent Palestine and Palestine ISD well."
It is Hilda's biggest dream to see all three of her children with Texas A&M class rings.
"I have a dream," Hilda said. "And God always makes my dreams come true. He loves me. I dream all my kids have a Texas A&M ring ceremony. I'm praying for this."
