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Students Honored for Perfect Attendance
Gallardo kids have never missed a day of school

(clockwise) Trini Rodriguez and children Humberto, Nancy and Esmeralda Gallardo gather outside the Council Chambers at City Hall last week before being honored by the Compton City Council for their perfect attendance at school. —Photo by Gary Kious of Visual Communications

By Cheryl Scott
Bulletin Staff Writer

Nancy, Esmeralda and Humberto Gallardo have never missed a day of school since starting kindergarten. Together they have racked up more than 11,000 hours of education in the last eight years.

The Compton City Council honored the students at its meeting of July 22, presenting each one with a plaque. The citations on the plaques read, “Humberto Gallardo, five years of perfect attendance; Esmeralda Gallardo, seven years of perfect attendance; and Nancy Gallardo, eight years of perfect attendance.

Nancy, 14, just graduated from eighth grade at Benjamin O. Davis Middle School. Esmeralda, 12, will be going into eighth grade this fall. Humberto, 11, just graduated from fifth grade at Rosecrans Elementary School and will enter Davis this year.

“These students are an example of what can happen when parents are closely involved in their children’s education,” said Cynthia Wright-Smith, assistant principal at Davis. “Many parents are involved when the children are younger, but as they get older they stop attending open houses and parent-teacher conferences. It is important that parents communicate to their children, by their actions and not just their words, how important education is and why they should go to school every day.”

“I stress the importance of school, but I never have to push my kids to go every day,” said mom Trini Rodriguez. “They take the initiative because they understand that it’ll help them down the road as they continue to pursue their dreams.”

“It’s important to go to school every day because it helps me to achieve what I want in life,” says Nancy, who intends to study nursing. Sister Esmeralda, an avid volleyball player, says that being in class every day keeps her focused and up to date on her work. Younger brother Humberto excels at math – his favorite subject – and says that learning helps him improve himself.

Trini is a stay-at-home mom. Dad Humberto Gallardo Sr. works in the receiving department of Valley Fruit Produce in Los Angeles.

“He is very proud of his kids,” said Trini. “He tells them all the time how important it is to fulfill their responsibilities for their education. He also shows them by example how important it is by going to work every day. He rarely misses a day of work, and he has to be really ill to call in sick. He tells them it is important to create a reputation for dependability and to have a record with no black marks on it.”

Nancy and Esmeralda have not had discipline issues at Davis. “They have never been discipline problems,” said Wright-Smith. “They are never called to my office. I know of them because of their attendance records. I know their mother because I see her when she comes to walk her daughters home from school every day. I am certain that there is a family ethic at work here.”

Trini says that, while the importance of education is emphasized in their home, the children have created their own incentive to attend school every day. Through the years they have received tickets to Knott’s Berry Farm, gift cards, plaques, medals and certificates as rewards for perfect attendance.

“They are aware that there are rewards for perfect attendance,” said Trini. “They have enjoyed receiving these awards and this recognition. Receiving this city recognition helps them to better understand me when I say that education is the key to success.”

“It is a pleasure to have these fine students in our school,” said Wright-Smith. “We hope to have many more students that follow in the footsteps of these outstanding Gallardo children.”

The Gallardo kids may be committed to perfect attendance during the school year, but the summer vacation is a different matter. “I asked them if they want to go to summer school,” said Trini with a laugh. “They said no way. Summer is summer and they enjoy having the time off from school.”

The Rodriguez family will take its first camping trip in August. “We want to go to the Sequoias,” she said. “We’ve never been camping before, but I’m sure it will be a great time. We want to do something special this summer.”

All three of the Gallardo kids plan to keep up their perfect attendance records through high school. “They don’t plan to let up,” Trini said. “They have not been raised to think that way.”