Interview
1. How did you find the FUEL Education program?
My daughter Mariani learned about the program at school. She told me about it and I said okay because I knew they were going to help me give my daughter a better future. I always support my daughter in everything that she does, I never say no.
2. What motivated you to join FUEL?
My daughter was my motivation. She’s very smart and I support her with everything. She told me this program will help her with scholarships and will help me learn so I can support her better.
3. How old is your child? What’s her full name?
Mariani German is a senior and will graduate this year. I’m so proud of her, she’s my only child.
4. How many kids do you have? Have you participated in FUEL on behalf of any of your other children? Why or why not?
Mariani is my only child.
5. Where’s Victoria going to college? What are her interests?
My daughter won the Posse scholarship to Hamilton College in New York. She doesn’t know what she wants to study but I know whatever she does shell be good at it, she’s very smart. I’m sad that my only daughter is leaving me but I have to let her fly. She’s my daughter so the 4-6 hour drive to New York I can make in 2 if its to see my daughter.
6. Who goes to meetings on Victoria’s behalf?
I make sure to go to all the meetings to learn. I missed a few meetings because of health issues and operations I had.
7. What do you do professionally?
Housekeeping. I can tell you that we are a very very low-income family. I always thought to myself how will I ever get this smart driven girl to college with no money. There were times were I couldn’t work because of health issues and couldn’t afford clothes for Mariani. I am so proud of her and the program, myself too. I have no words to describe how thankful I am for this program and for every person that helped us. I don’t have any goods for her to inherit from me but I know she’ll have an education that no one can take away from her.
8. Can you tell me about your experience in FUEL?
I thank God for this program because I’ve learned a lot about how to help my daughter. I also always worried because I don’t know English so I didn’t know how I could possibly help my daughter. But with FUEL I went to the meeting and they told me everything in Spanish. I really liked when they talked about scholarships and community services that my daughter had to do to get scholarships. I liked it because I knew what my daughter had to be doing to go to college. I supported her by taking her to wherever she had to go, like to do community service.
9. What’s changed for your family since entering the program?
Mariani can go to college now and I don’t have to worry about how to pay. It was a process we both went through with the program. I always tried my best to save little by little and its paying off. I’m very happy.
10. What have you learned from FUEL?
Like I told you before, every meeting was something new. But my favorites were about how to pay for college. Learning about how my daughter can get scholarships because she is very smart. If there is a will then there is a way. I always believed that and my daughter showed me that its true. I’ve cried worrying about getting my only daughter the best education but didn’t know how until FUEL. I want to share a story with you, I donated a kidney and it was a difficult operation for me. I worried because I couldn’t help Mariani especially financially but I knew she was smart and strong and had others to help her like Dave and people from the program. I thank you guys very much.
11. How much money have you been able to save so far?
*ETO states $1,300
I don’t remember the exact amount but to me it’s a lot of money but not enough. But thank god that the program introduced to her the scholarship she won and is helping me save that money. I don’t make a lot of money so the money saved is very helpful for things she will need in college, its not my money its Mariani’s money.
12. Do you have anything else you would like to add or advice you’d like to give to other families?
I would tell all the parents to never stop supporting their kids. They should join FUEL or any program that will help their kids. They need to support their kids always even with little things like a ride to do community service. The program was %100 percent helpful.