Where every person has a story.

HHS Media

Where every person has a story.

HHS Media

Where every person has a story.

HHS Media

Do you feel that HHS and our city are inclusive environments for all cultures/ethnicities?

  • Yes, I do (60%, 67 Votes)
  • We can improve (30%, 34 Votes)
  • No, I do not (10%, 11 Votes)

Total Voters: 112

Loading ... Loading ...
Abebe produces and publishes music
US Army visits with virtual reality stimulation

US Army visits with virtual reality stimulation

March 21, 2024

Varsity Girls Soccer plays Fluvanna in opening game of the season

Varsity Girls Soccer plays Fluvanna in opening game of the season

March 21, 2024

Black student-athletes share experiences, expectations in sports

Black student-athletes share experiences, expectations in sports

March 19, 2024

Mercer wins high honor

By David Proctor

To most, Sandy Mercer is just the collaborating English teacher in room 442, but to one alumna she was a hero. Maria Martinez, 19, was slated to be deported to El Salvador in late summer for living in the U.S. without authorization. Mercer, who had Martinez as a student, stepped to her rescue and helped her fight her battle all the way to Capitol Hill.

“She is an incredible student and her situation was not of her own making. Maria attempted to do the right thing, which brought her to the attention of the immigration officials. She would have been separated from her family, her community and her loved ones and sent to a place where she had nobody,” Mercer said. “My heart broke when I heard her story.”

According to Martinez, she was ready to leave without a fight until Mercer stepped to her aid.

“My first reaction when I heard I was going to get departed was to pack my bags and leave. I was going to drop pre-calculus and quit on my senior service hours. I thought it didn’t matter anymore. I lost all my hope. I was in Sandy’s class and we became friends and started talking. I told her about my situation. She motivated me to fight it. She was the only one who gave me hope,” Martinez said.

Mercer and Martinez began their uphill battle by calling Virginia’s congressional delegation on Capitol Hill. They got assigned a legislative assistant who would turn out to be invaluable.

“We got assigned a legislative assistant who gave us the name of someone who gave us the name of an affordable immigration attorney. That was the kind of networking we had to do. We had to follow up and follow every lead,” Mercer said.

From there, they had to get their message out and fundraise to pay the attorney.

“We just got the message out. We let people know about her. There are a lot of generous people in this community,” Mercer said.

Martinez had similar sentiments. She claims she was surprised that people she did not even know were willing to pitch in for her cause. Mercer and Martinez were able to raise enough money to pay for the immigration attorney. They spent nothing out of pocket.

After hiring the immigration attorney, Mercer and Martinez called Senator Jim Webb’s legislative assistant daily for updates and provided him with updates from the attorney. When things seemed to stall, they traveled to Washington in person and gave a presentation to the legislative assistants for both of Virginia’s Senators and Congressman Bob Goodlatte.

“I just wanted to tell my story. It wasn’t my decision to come here illegally and I wanted them to know about all I’ve done for my family and the community,” Martinez said.

“Maria gave a great presentation. We brought a thick stack of letters from people who sympathized for Maria and wanted to help. We told them how desperate we were. We knew our attempt was a long shot. The legislative assistants wanted us to understand that things might not work out,” Mercer said.

In mid-summer, Martinez received good news. She was granted a one-year deferment until her case was reopened. That same day she received another letter telling her that her case had been reopened, effectively canceling the deferment.

“It was really a day of highs and lows,” Mercer said.

Martinez’s attorney reapplied for the one year deferment, which she ended up receiving.

Presently Martinez is attending Blue Ridge Community College and hopes to become a math teacher. Martinez and Mercer hope that before the one-year deferent elapses, the DREAM Act is passed by Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama. The DREAM Act, or the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, would allow a pathway to citizenship for undocumented students who arrived to the United States under the age of 16, who have lived in the United States for at least five years, are between the ages of 12 and 35 at the time the bill is signed into law, graduated from high school and are planning to attend college or serve in the military and have “good moral standing”.

            “I am a little concerned that the bill will get pushed back. Our hope is that it passes in the spring but with health care and everything else going on in Congress, who knows. That’s what we’re hopeful for now and if that doesn’t work out, we’ll try and figure something else out,” Mercer said.

            According to Dreamact.com, the bill has been on the table since 2001. Since then, nearly half of the Senate and one-third of the House have co-sponsored it. It has passed the Senate Judiciary Committee several times by a wide, bipartisan vote of 16-3, regardless of the party in power. In 2006, the DREAM Act reached the full Senate as part of an immigration reform bill. It failed to pass by eight votes, with four voters absent. However, the DREAM Act still has life. President Barack Obama along with Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Representative Howard Berman (D-CA) reintroduced the bill in 2009. About 65,000 students per year would qualify for permanent residency under the bill. The President has stated immigration reform is one of his top priorities, after passing health care reform.

While the community has learned extensively about Martinez’s situation through WHSV TV-3 and the Daily News-Record, not many have recognized the persistence of her mentor Sandy Mercer. On Nov. 23rd, that changed. The Promise Group, an organization dedicated to recognizing outstanding teachers of Hispanics, awarded Mercer for her commitment. Next year the organization will hand out several scholarships to Hispanic students they see promise in.

“I agreed only to accept the award to represent all teachers of this school. This was not a “Lone Ranger” project. They gave money and wrote letters. They were important, too,” Mercer said.

Martinez whole-heartedly believes that Mercer deserved the award.

“She definitely deserved it. The award means something to me, too. It represents everything we’ve been fighting for,” Martinez said.

Should the DREAM Act fail to pass or even reach a vote, the battle will resume later this year.

Leave a Comment
More to Discover

Comments (0)

All HHS Media Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Activate Search
Mercer wins high honor