A Family Affair
HARLEM, N.Y.
What are the odds of a wife and mother of four from a low-income family — with no high school diploma — earning a master's degree? Nearly insurmountable.
But not for Sandra Montrose. A trip to enroll her pre-school children in the local Head Start opened her eyes to self-improvement. She started by volunteering in the classroom. Seeing the strides her children made then spurred her to finish General Education Development (GED) requirements.
Nearly 30 years later, Montrose is a Senior Family Assistant/Special Needs Liaison with the West Harlem Head Start. In addition, she has earned a master's degree from Metropolitan College of New York. Three of her children now have earned bachelor's degrees. The youngest, Hugo, is entering high school.
Marcus, 29, and Vernique, 25, have vivid memories of their days in Head Start. "I remember being excited about trips and going places outside of New York City," recalls Marcus, who graduated magna cum laude in legal studies from John Jay College in New York.
Vernique, a graduate of the University of Virginia in psychology, remembers Head Start's healthy aspects: "We had regular dental visits." She laughs when she thinks back, "The dentist's van would come, and we would all file down and get our teeth checked."
More importantly, the young Montroses recognize the role their mother set by getting involved in their education, as well as by continuing her own. "My mom is phenomenal," beams Vernique. "I saw all of the obstacles she had to overcome: a lot of work to do on the job, coming home and raising a family, and completing a master's degree. I'm just so proud of her. To see my mother grow in so many aspects and develop herself, it's just amazing."
Marcus agrees: "Here she is, not talking the talk but walking it. She has achieved something that I can honestly tell you I didn't know she was able to do. I knew my mother was strong and that she always tried to provide the best for us the best she knew how. But here she was, not only providing but leading by example. Not many people have done that." — J.T.
