CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The legacy of Hector P. Garcia was celebrated Friday at a special luncheon put on by the foundation created in honor of the late civil rights activists.
Garcia believed in the power of knowledge with his motto " education is our freedom."
The annual luncheon helps raise thousands in grants and scholarships for area students.
Mariella Jimenez was one of the students who benefited from $20,000 Hector P. Garcia Endowment Scholarship in 2017.
Jimenez was a freshman at the time of her enrollment and said that the scholarship covered the cost for all four -- leaving her time to focus on her degree in education.
Five years later, Jimenez made the transition from student -- to educator. She is the first in her family to graduate high school and college. However, Jimenez said that none of her success would be possible without Hector P. Garcia.
"Honestly my parents would never have been able to afford paying for college, that's why I pushed myself in high school and always tried to do my best," she said.
Much like Garcia himself, Jimenez knows the importance of striving for success. Now, she seeks to return the favor in making a difference in the lives of her students.
"Just last week I got a student from Ecuador, she only speaks Spanish, she looks so scared, no English," she said. "I'm just glad she has someone to come to, when she gets to me she's really comfortable, just building that connection with them."
While geometry can be a tricky subject for many, Jimenez enjoys the challenge of helping her students connect the dots.
"She's really cool," said one student.
"She's a really good teacher, she really does help the students," said another.
A third student said she was very inspiring.
The endowment scholarship gave Jimenez a full circle moment that shows what happens when you never give up on your dreams.
The endowment was started in Garcia's honor more than 20 years ago.
The foundation has provided over 300-thousand dollars in scholarships to students here locally and across the state.