Dino-Lorenzo Bantayan's Voice
How have increased tuition fees impacted you and your family?:
My parents work very hard to keep me in school. My dad has been able to work at home the past few years (he is a travel agent) so we save on gas, but it only gives me insight on how hard he works. I see him waking up at night to get some extra work done. He even does overtime. He sleeps in his office, via a floorbed. My mom works even harder. She doesn't drive. We live in the Portola district in San Francisco, and she takes public transportation all the way to South San Francisco, where she works two jobs. She is a dental assistant, so she has to stand very long hours of the day. She is recently developing arthritis in his knee, and yet she still goes to work everyday to help pay for my family's expenses, INCLUDING MY SCHOOL. They've been doing this all my life. They wanted me to have a quality education since I was little, and have been sending me to Catholic schools since the first grade. We don't own a house, and we've been renting the same house for the past fifteen years. My education is that important to them.
I am typing this in hopes you who are reading understand how important education is to many people in the world, not just for preparing people on their choses careers, but also on how college helps a person better themselves and fulfill their full potential as a human being. I'm sure many more students have it a lot harder than I do, and I believe we all deserve quality education.
What are you studying at SF State and what do you hope to do once you graduate?:
Since my I was a child, it has been my dream to be an animator. Since art schools are expensive, I was pleased to know SF State has a decent animation program for me to get into. I joined the animation society and was even happier than my expectations had predicted. My dream is to have my own series on tv, and be a successful person in the animation world.
When I graduate, I intend to become an animator. The knowledge and experiences I gain not only at State, but from my previous experiences from High School and Elementary will be used throughout my entire life. I intend to do more than just make money. I intend to be active in the community, see the world, and have adventures.
Dino-Lorenzo Bantayan M., 18 San Francisco
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