HSD
“Every child needs a champion in their corner—-a resilient, compassionate, loving human being.."
- Ken Woods
Principal
Calaveras School
We are the role models who teach academics, physical education, emotional and social growth, and more. We strive to prepare our students for their future and provide them tools to be successful wherever they go. We reinforce and build on their family values. We hear the challenging and inspiring narratives of their lives. We encounter stouthearted students that are willing to share their truth. However, their tales may never be heard if they are bereft of a champion in their corner---someone that encourages and challenges them to write their stories. The following article is from a humble and courageous seventh grade student from Calaveras School named Victor. In his corner are a loving family and friends, a grandfather named Baudelio, and a teacher named Julie.
​
"Baudelio Banuelos", the following story was written by Victor Sanchez, a seventh grader at Calaveras School. BenitoLink is collaborating with middle school students at Calaveras School with support from United Way of San Benito County junior journalism grant. Victor was asked to write about someone he admires for a Martin Luther King Jr. Day assignment.
Seventh grader Victor Sanchez writes about why he admires his grandfather, Baudelio Banuelos who lives in Mexico.
Snapshot
Monte Escobedo, Zacatecas, Mexico
February 2018
Envision yourself being only 10 years old, and waking up at 5 am each morning to milk cows and work in the fields when it is 120 degrees. Well, my grandpa, Baudelio Banuelos, has been doing this for the past 65 years. This is the person in my life I admire the most because he works very hard, and that is what makes me want to do my best in school and complete my goal of being a robotics engineer. He lives in Monte Escobedo, Zacatecas, Mexico where he takes care of his cows, goats, and grows his crops. For extra money he works in other peoples fields.
​
One lesson my grandpa has taught me is to always to think about other people in addition to my family. Besides all the work he does in the fields and on his farm, he is a good cook and often gives the food to the poor people that he works with. This did not start when he was an adult. When he was 10, he picked cherries and every few days he would have enough money to buy one kilogram of tortillas. From this he would make enchiladas, gorditas, and tostadas to feed his family and extra to share with the poor people at work. He motivates me by the way he has lived his life and how he puts everyone else before himself.
My grandpa is a good example to me because he is such a hard worker and stays fit. Every morning before going to work he waters his crops, and milks the animals. If he has time, he also will pull out the dead crops and plant new ones.
Another reason he inspires me is that he is always motivating the family. For instance, when I started playing soccer I couldn't do a trick. I kept failing. He told me to keep practicing and I eventually would be able to do any trick I wanted. Even though he lives in a different country, I kept hearing his voice to keep trying-so I did until I was successful.
There are a million reasons I look up to my grandpa. He may not have what people consider to be a successful job or a lot of money, but I think he is very successful by the way he has lived his life and how hard he works even though he is getting old. I thought about him while I was learning English in school. He raised his kids to not complain when things are hard, but just do what you need to do. I am sure I will be thinking about him just as much, even if he is not around, when I become a robotics engineer.
Everyone needs a person like my grandpa in there life to look up to. Baudelio Banuelos.
​
About writer Victor Sanchez:
Victor Sanchez started school without knowing any English, and is still developing his writing skills. He started learning English in first grade, has been at Calaveras since third grade and is now in Julie Fontaine's 7th grade class. He is 12 and lives with his mother in Hollister.
Photo of Victor Sanchez taken by fellow classmate Luis Garcia.
​
https://benitolink.com/features/benitolink-junior-journalism-project-baudelio-banuelos