Dallas, TX – December 5, 2014– Parents Step Ahead is proud to recognize the 2014 Parents of the Year.The annual awards gala is the yearly fundraiser for the Parents Step Ahead program which has empowered many families to become active participants in their children’s education. At the ceremony, winning parents received a new desktop computer provided by Pinnacle Technical Resources.
Nicolas Gomez
Nicolas Aurelio Vicente Gómez Vásquez was born in the city of Chihuahua,
Mexico and is the 22nd child of 23 kids. In the midst of poverty,
Mr. Gomez grew up surrounded by difficulties. Yet his parents Ricardo
Gomez Delgadillo and Rosario Vásquez Martínez taught the family to work
hard and earn an honest living and seek an education. Although they lived
in a town where most of the community didn’t know how to read and write,
Mr. Gomez was sent to walk miles to school through the mountain terrains.
Mr. Gomez thanks God that despite being a large family in, there was an
understanding of love and peace among the family unit. A practice his
parents instilled in Mr. Gomez and now instills to his own children.
Tracey Huffman
Tracey Huffman is a Dallas native who grew up in the Richardson School
District. She is a mother of two children, Jack and Carolyn Huffman and
is a 4th grade teacher at Dartmouth Elementary School in Richardson
ISD. Despite challenges her and her family has faced, she assured her
families’ perseverance and continued to encourage higher educational
goals. Through life’s curve balls, she has proved to be a powerful and inspiring
parent and teacher. Mrs. Huffman continues to assist her family
with school, work and problem solving skills on a daily basis. Her philosophy
of parenting closely mirrors a quote given by Franklin D. Roosevelt,
“we cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our
youth for our future.”
Laura Morales
Laura Morales has been a volunteer at Otis Brown Elementary School for
four years, where her son Adrian Lemus attends school as a fourth grader.
She was born in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico and came to Irving, TX at the age
of five. While living in Irving, she attended Irving ISD graduating from
Nimitz High School in 1995. Laura has three loving children. The oldest
is Angel Morales a Junior at Nimitz High School, Stephanie Morales, a
7th grader at Lamar Middle School and Adrian Lemus in 4th grader. Mrs.
Morales has attended several programs at Brown Elementary like Nutrition
Classes, Love and Logic, Latino Family Literacy Project, Parent University
and many more. Laura has grown both academically and personally. She
is very thankful to her Parent Liaison Maricarmen Mancillas for helping
her bring out the best in herself. Mrs. Morales has learned how to help
her children receive good grades and gain confidence. Her children have
the opportunity to be in pre-AP classes in middle school and high school,
which now leaves Adrian ready for his transition to middle school.
Glenda Range
Glenda Range lives in Irving with her husband (Anthony) of eleven
years and her three kids, Destiny(19), Dominique (18) and Anthony Jr.
(11). Originally from Port Arthur, Texas, Mrs. Range has resided in Dallas
for 14 years. Currently employed at Cuna Mutual where she works as a
licensed insurance adviser specializing in Life, Health and Retirement.
Mrs. Range spends most of my spare time interacting with her three children
and seeking resources and workshops for parents with kids that have
disabilities in advocacy for her son’s vision impairment. When not busy
with family or work, her favorite shows to watch are Criminal Minds or
Walker Texas Ranger.
Sandra Torres
Sandra Torres resides in Dallas, TX and is originally from Irapuato,
Guanajuato, Mexico. She is married to Vicente Torres and is a mother of
four children: Vicente, Mateo, Miguel Angel and Juan Pablo. Sandra enjoys
taking care of her house and her children, but when it comes to helping
in schools, she does her best to offer her time. For twelve years she
has volunteered at several schools in Dallas ISD. “I like being involved in
decorating the halls because I like children to have a cozy and friendly
place to motivate them in studying.” Sandra is always willing to help where
it’s needed.
*Grandparent of the Year*
Maria Montes
Maria Montes is a single parent raising three bilingual daughters Erica,
Lauren and Ariele, who have achieved wonderful educational goals. Ms.
Montes has five male grandchildren and is currently assisting in raising
three of her grandchildren in Dallas. Ms. Montes is currently involved with
the Dallas community, and has been a volunteer for over 25 years for Girl
Scouts, Boy Scouts and the PTA. She is also a Board Member to the Boys
and Girls Club and the Hispanic Nurse Association. Ms. Montes has
worked for six years with the senior community at Catholic charities of
Dallas, a Site Manager/Activities Coordinator for the Brady Senior Center
and recently for Ultimate Home Health as a PHC Coordinator/Bilingual
Educator.