Routinely every Thursday, fourth-grade students Kassandra Garza and Lucero Almontes are all smiles and squeals as they walk into their classroom at Pomeroy Elementary School. They can barely contain their excitement because Thursday is the day of the week they get to spend an entire hour of learning and giggling with their mentor and friend Mary Jane Barajas.

Barajas is a volunteer mentor in Pasadena ISD’s Helping One Student to Succeed (HOSTS) program. HOSTS is a highly structured mentoring program that uses one-on-one academic mentoring to help students improve reading, writing and problem-solving skills.

Although Barajas became a mentor in the HOSTS program only two years ago, Pomeroy’s hallways and classrooms aren’t unfamiliar to her. In 1961, Barajas attended Pomeroy as a first grader who couldn’t speak or understand English. Barajas said her difficulties in speaking English made it hard for her to make friends. She said her communication problems with her classmates and teachers and trying to adjust to a new and foreign environment are what inspired her to help children who are in similar situations.

“When I came to school at Pomeroy, it was the first time I had ever interacted with students of other races, cultures and languages,” Barajas said. “I was scared, especially when it came to communication because the other kids made fun of me. I felt like this was a ‘calling’ for me because I can relate to many students who might be experiencing the same thing I did. I don’t want them to be afraid like I was, and I’m happy to help in some way.”

Barajas said she struggled with the English language and because of complications reading in English, Barajas had to repeat the first grade. She attributes her success in the language to her first grade teacher at Pomeroy.

“Miss Hall was a big influence in my life in helping me learn and understand English,” Barajas said. “I felt like I could accomplish what she wanted me to do. She was compassionate and understanding and she gave me the incentive to want to learn and master this new language.”

Barajas said she wants to help the students she mentors the way her teacher helped her, and according to Garza and Almontes, that is exactly what Barajas is doing.

Garza said, “I feel good when Mrs. Barajas comes to work with me. It makes me want to learn more and work harder.” Almontes said, “Mrs. Barajas helps me read in English. I like when she comes because she helps me with the words I don’t know.”

Barajas said “her girls” remind her of herself when she was their age.

“Kassandra and Lucero are both amazing,” Barajas said. “When I first came to tutor them, I could see how shy and timid they both were. But I could also tell they were so eager and willing to learn, and it makes me feel like I’m helping them. I try to help them understand that learning English is an asset to them and that this is a great opportunity for them to learn it while they’re still young. The most important thing is for them to get something positive out of this experience.”

Barajas said her favorite part of mentoring is to see the look on the faces of her students when they begin to understand the material they are trying to learn. “It’s like a light bulb goes off in their heads and I see this spark in their eyes as they start understanding,” she said. “Those looks and those smiles of accomplishment are worth more than anything in the world. I’m happy to be a part of their success.”

Although mastering the English language was at one time her biggest challenge, it has now become Barajas’ biggest accomplishment.

“I knew I had to make English my primary language if I was going to make anything out of myself,” Barajas said. “I knew I had to learn to speak it fluently and correctly at a very young age, and I finally did. It was a challenge to learn, but the benefits far outweighed any difficulties I may have encountered along the way.”

Barajas said the transition from speaking Spanish to English made her appreciate the new language and the fascination of learning another style of language. As she learned English, Barajas said she began making more friends. But Barajas said the new language helped her most with her classmates during recess when they played their all-time favorite sport kick ball.

“It gave me a positive feeling to finally be able to communicate with the other kids,” Barajas said. “I could accomplish a lot more just by being able to talk to everyone around me. I even got better at kick ball because I could understand the rules of the game. And I was pretty good. I didn’t mind diving for the ball, so the other students wanted me on their team. Since I could understand what they were saying, they began choosing me to be on their team and it gave me more confidence.”

Barajas graduated from Sam Rayburn High School in 1974 and attended San Jacinto College until 1975 when her typing teacher set up a job interview with Rockwell International. Barajas was immediately hired as secretary to the manager of Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL). Although she intended to return to school, Barajas met her husband at the company, and she is still working there now as a senior operations and processing analyst. Rockwell International is known today as United Space Alliance.

Barajas decided to go back to school and is currently enrolled in classes at San Jacinto College. She plans to transfer to the University of Houston and obtain a business degree in management.

“If anything, education is a main ingredient to success and we need to instill that in our children at a young age,” said Barajas. “If we expand and give those lessons we’ve learned in life, then we can help our children to make better decisions. The more positive roles we can play in a child’s life, the better our nation will be as a whole. After all, these children are our future engineers, school teachers, astronauts, scientists, and yes, possibly the next President of the United States.”

Although Barajas is also actively involved in Habitat for Humanity, Citizens on Patrol, Bridge Over Troubled Waters and is a driver for the Food Bank, she said that mentoring in the HOSTS program at Pomeroy is her favorite and most rewarding activity.

“Mary Jane has had a tremendous impact on the students she mentors,” said Pomeroy’s HOSTS coordinator Vicki Lenio. “She demonstrates her commitment and dedication by acting as a role model and mentor to Lucero and Kassandra. Mary Jane has provided us with outstanding mentorship and has taught and encouraged students to meet challenges and strive for excellence. But more than anything, Mary Jane has reminded us that a little love can go a long way to inspiring our youth. We are lucky to have her – she is an inspiration.”