She's Like Water Moving Around Rocks
She's Like Water Moving Around Rocks
Left to right (facing): Marcus Dansou, Dr. Pando, and Margaret Aquino, at Dr. Pando's January 8th visit with ECA students at DTC.
Contributed by:
Kristin Hott,
M.Ed., VCCC
ECA Career Coach / Adjunct Instructor
Early College Academy - DTC
Margaret Aquino is a full-time Reynolds Early College Academy student in her second semester of the A.S. in Social Sciences degree. But that's not all—Margaret is also a Richmond Public School junior, a volleyball player, an older sibling, a mentor to friends, and a part-time cashier at Cook Out.
Whew, that’s a full plate! Margaret is a go-getter, to say the least. When she learned her high school would be closing on Friday, March 13, and that all Reynolds classes were moving online the following week, Margaret knew she had a challenge ahead of her.
Not only would she need to continue heading out to work while others were sheltering at home—she quickly realized how difficult things would be without internet access at home.
Her parents tackled the logistics of getting service through a local carrier, but Margaret had assignments due. She found a way to make it all work. Since then, she’s been going in early or staying late after shifts, using the free Wi-Fi at her job to complete online quizzes, post to discussion boards, and upload papers completed offline. Her supervisors have been supportive and make sure she puts schoolwork first.
COVID-19 may have placed barriers in her path, but Margaret’s indomitable spirit and focus on her future triumphed. Like water moving around rocks in a stream, she has discovered new ways to accomplish her work and stay motivated. She sees beyond this health crisis to the next phase of her life and knows the effort she makes now will pay off.
Since learning of her connectivity challenges, her school system and Reynolds ECA coaches have been updating her with new information and potential solutions, including hot spots at Reynolds’ downtown campus and the laptop loaner program.
While many things may still be uncertain, one thing is clear: solution-minded students like Margaret give us hope for a brighter future.