Sarasota County STRIVE Award Student Stories: Emily Delgado
For as long as she can remember, Emily Delgado has wanted to help others. She wanted to do more for her niece, who was struggling in eighth grade after experiencing terrible bullying. She wanted to do more when her grandmother, thousands of miles away, fell ill and passed, and her family had to watch the funeral via video call because they couldn’t make it back to Mexico. She has wanted to do more for her mom, who has sacrificed so much so that Emily can focus on school.
Emily’s desire to help others has fueled an interest in psychology and medicine that led her to Suncoast Polytechnical High School, where she could prepare to become a nurse. A 2023 STRIVE Award recipient, she has become a leader in her nursing program and aspires to study at the graduate level and become a nurse practitioner.
All her life, Emily has seen how much her mom has done so her daughters can thrive. When she was pregnant with Emily, her mom moved to America from Mexico, leaving behind her parents, extended family, and friends to find a safer life in Sarasota, where her brother lives. In Southwest Florida, with one daughter and another on the way, she started over.
Emily’s mom and sister clean houses and restaurants, waking early and driving out to the islands or staying up late after businesses close. The family has lived in cramped quarters. Watching how hard they work, Emily has wanted to get a job to help her family make ends meet, but her mom insists that she focus on her studies. This work ethic and selflessness inspire Emily. As Emily said of her mother, “She is my motivator.”
Her mom’s persistence has helped guide Emily through the challenges of growing up as a first-generation college student and American in a single-family home. It can, as Emily said, “feel a little overwhelming.”
In addition to her mom, Emily finds strength in her friends. Although one has graduated and now attends college in Indiana, her two friends Maria and Helen have been an essential support system. “We can talk about these really important topics and have common ground,” Emily said. They share experiences of growing up in Hispanic households and feeling pressures to switch between home and school life.
Her friend Maria has also been, as Emily said, “a big source of creative inspiration.” She has inspired Emily to pursue graphic design, which has become an important outlet. Emily enjoys creative problem solving, thinking about how different elements fit together. This year, she has been helping design her school’s yearbook and loves the experience.
Reading has also helped Emily navigate a complicated world, and she credits her English teacher during her sophomore year, Mr. Przekwas, for inspiring a deeper love of books. She remembers his one-man performance of Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” and how his commitment to the material, his willingness to take a risk, made a lasting impression on her.
Mr. Przekwas introduced Emily to the book “Sophie’s World,” which led her to philosophical literature and ideas she continues to wrestle with today. Of her teacher, she said, “I indulge in reading much more because of him than I did in the past, and that’s helped me convey ideas more clearly.”
Today, Emily is working with her teachers and college counselor to find ways to pay for school and to consider her different options. It’s unchartered territory and can feel daunting, but her support networks and determination to help others sustains her. She is optimistic about her future.
Emily will continue her nursing studies next year at Daytona State College. She knows she will need to get a job to cover her education, but she already knows all about making sacrifices to reach the goal of making life better for others. She sees it every day in her mom.
Emily’s advice for incoming freshmen: Start planning early and be sure to balance your school and personal life — give yourself some time!
For over 30 years, the Education Foundation of Sarasota County has supported students and teachers because education transforms lives. As a champion for life readiness, the Education Foundation provides personalized, comprehensive resources and relationships so that students can find their purpose and progress intentionally through their K – 12 schooling. Its mission is to enhance the potential of students, promote excellence in teaching, and inspire innovation in education, guided by strategic philanthropy.
About the STRIVE Awards
The STRIVE Awards were born out of H. Jack Hunkele’s vision to recognize students who have overcome tremendous challenges to succeed in life. Thanks to the H. Jack Hunkele Charitable Foundation and other generous donors, the Education Foundation of Sarasota County, in partnership with Sarasota County Schools, highlights the resilience and grit of students across our county. During award ceremonies at their high schools, STRIVE Award recipients receive cash gifts for education after high school as well as recognition. They are invited to serve as student leaders promoting resilience and persistence, and they are connected to Education Foundation resources such as student success coaching, mentoring, workshops, and more.
Learn more about the STRIVE Awards and this year’s remarkable recipients: EdFoundationSRQ.org/STRIVE2023.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota County STRIVE Award Student Stories: Emily Delgado
