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On her final essay of her college preparatory class, Angela Padilla-Ramírez wrote about wrestling over her college future. She ended her essay with an apology to her teacher.
“I realize that you wanted me to do better than mediocrity,” the 18-year-old North Mecklenburg High student said she wrote. “You felt I could be so much more. But I feel I have a responsibility to help my mother while my stepfather is away.”
Some kids grow up too fast. Others are forced to make adult decisions earlier than expected. Angela is one of those kids.
Her teacher, Julia Caldwell, had been pressing Angela for months to think about four-year schools – to complete her applications. The two butted heads over it. They got into at least one argument.
But last week, Angela's mom, Zurmarie Ramírez, gave birth to a baby girl. Her stepfather could be deployed to Afghanistan any day. Angela graduates on Sunday.
She had considered attending UNC Wilmington or Appalachian State. But she struggled with her decision, knowing she'd be leaving her mother alone with a newborn with her stepfather a world away.
Her mom said she pleaded with Angela “not to derail her plans.” Zurmarie Ramírez said she told her daughter she'd be fine on her own.
But Angela decided a four-year college can wait.
“It's just going to be mom,” she said. “I want to be here to help. To change diapers, get groceries, cook and clean, stuff like that.”
So she enrolled at Central Piedmont Community College and plans to transfer to UNC Charlotte's criminal-justice program once her stepfather returns and her sister is a little bigger.
Caldwell describes Angela as a shy young woman with a burning desire to help herself and others succeed. Her mom describes Angela as a perfectionist with a slight TV addiction.
Angela, of Puerto Rican descent, describes herself as a procrastinator with dreams of being a criminal profiler or forensic psychiatrist like the character George Huang on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.”
None of them, however, is concerned this detour will derail Angela's future success.
“She's a strong student,” Caldwell said. “She'll finish.”
In her final essay for Caldwell, Angela said she felt she needed to clear the air. She wanted to say she understood what her teacher was trying to do.
“I didn't want to let her down,” Angela said.
As soon as Caldwell finished reading, she searched out her student and gave her a hug.
“I told her she was 10 feet tall in my eyes because she had made an adult decision that I respected.”
