Award-Winning Principal Is Single Mom of Nine
Thirty-two California schools recently received the National Blue Ribbon Award for improvement and performance.
One of those schools is here in San Diego County -- Dewey Elementary School.
The school's principal Vera Valdivia is grateful her school's hard work has been recognized.
If hard work and dedication are lessons children should be learning in the classroom, Valdivia is a perfect example for her students.
Valdivia is quick to deflect the credit to her teachers. "You know," she said, "They're the ones working 12 hour days and weekends." That's because Valdivia's days and weekends are already full. She's a single mom with seven children at home. In all, she's a mother of nine. In her spare time, she's earning a law degree.
Valdivia immigrated to the U.S. less than 20 years ago, speaks four languages and is now in her first year at Thomas Jefferson School of Law.
She said her social life consists of her study group meeting on Friday nights.
While letters from a senator and another letter from the U.S. Secretary of Education sit on her desk, that's not what really matters to Valdivia.
She said the letters she gets from students are more meaningful.
What matters to her is finding meaning in everything she does every day.
"When you love something," Valdivia said, "It's not work. And it's not really heavy on you."
Next month, Valdivia and a teacher from her school will travel to Washington, D.C. to accept the award.