Pathways Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

Pathways Hispanic Heritage danceAlong with the upbeat music that makes you move and Hispanic Heritage trivia and snacks, students at Pathways Academic Campus heard on Tuesday an inspiring message from a former student.

 

The Killeen ISD high school conducted its annual cultural celebration with students leading the way, asking questions and handing out prizes.

 

A student dance group called “Dancing with the PAC,” combining the popular TV celebrity dance show with Pathways’ initials, showed off a variety of Spanish dances.

 

First, the students in the cafeteria heard from Yohana Balladares, who in 2004 was 16, pregnant and a student at Pathways in KISD.

 

Today, she is a team leader for Keller Williams Realty. She and some of her team members, including her 23-year-old son, urged today’s students to dream big, to seek out mentors and to work hard to find success.

 

“My message is to dream,” she said. “I thought I didn’t have a future beyond those portable walls. I think that sometimes, especially being a mom, we get stuck in the, ‘we messed up, we should not have done this.’ Now, we have someone to provide for who is looking up to us,” she said.

 

“I just want to inspire those young women because look at me, I did it.”

 

Even in the midst of overwhelming difficulty, she said, you keep pushing forward and find a way to a better future.

Former student give motivational message 

When she was a student 20 years ago, the Pathways campus was contained in portable classrooms in north Killeen. Today, it is a modern, two-story school next to the KISD Career Center on Stagecoach Road.

 

“I think it’s great. It was a goal of mine to speak at Pathways because I know what they are going through. I love that they have this space where they can still thrive and finish school and be successful.”

 

Pathways senior Amani Golden, one of the dancers, said it’s always exciting to see her peers get together and have fun and that the unity evident during cultural activities is reflective of the tone of the school.

 

“Today was about getting together over food and dancing,” said Golden. “People are laughing and enjoying themselves. It’s about community and I think that is also what Pathways is about.

 

“I think they were really enjoying themselves. I think they were proud of themselves. They seemed really satisfied and they should be.”

 

 

 

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