High schoolers from migrant seasonal farming families are descending on Arizona State University next week for a summer camp that’s proving to change their lives.
Growing up in a rural Yuma farming community as the son of migrant seasonal field workers, Juan Ruan says it was hard to dream big.
“I come from a Hispanic household where my parents did not finish high school so I’ve never really had that inspiration to go to higher education,” said Ruan.
But at 15, he got a chance to attend the free Migratory Student Summer Academy at ASU. Those were six days that would change his life.
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“Coming here to ASU was really an eye opener because that’s when I really first started thinking I want to go to a university, study there, I want to do something more with my life,” said Ruan.
During the weeklong camp, he explored STEM learning alongside high schoolers just like him. Working in labs, getting hands-on with cutting-edge technology, and being inspired by world-class educators.
“Migrant seasonal farm workers, especially the kids of migrant seasonal farm workers are moving throughout the season and going to different school districts so there's not this continuity of education,” said Dr. Gilberto Lopez.
Dr. Lopez is the director of the camp. He was the first of his family to go to college and eventually earn a PhD from Harvard. As a child of farm workers himself, he has a unique understanding of these children’s challenges.
“In their communities, there’s very limited exposure to education, we have on average, the farm worker demographic is on average a sixth-grade education, maybe an eighth-grade education,” said Dr. Lopez. “There’s very little talk of college or higher education.”
Not to mention economic pressures steering them towards work and away from college. During the next week, however, Dr. Lopez is their tour guide to a world of new possibilities.
“It’s a humbling experience, it’s an honor to be trusted to kind of pass on the torch to the next generation or even give the torch to a group who’s never had the torch in a way,” said Dr. Lopez.
Now 19, kids like Ruan have run with it.
“No I would not be here at ASU studying civil engineering without MSSA, and that experience,” said Ruan.
