Cousin graduates of EWU perfect role models for Wahluke schools

MATTAWA — School administrators often reach out of district to find role models for their students, bringing speakers in from distant cities.

But sometimes the best role models live in the neighborhood. The best two role models Wahluke Junior High Principal Andy Harlow identifies are cousins Elena Calderon and Sonya Sandoval.

Both were raised in Mattawa, both graduated from Wahluke High School, and both were employed by the district this summer. Both live in their hometown.

Elena Calderon and Sonya Sandoval have been cousins since Sonya was born, but they didn’t become best friends until they attended college together.

Elena 25, and Sonya, 22, work for the Wahluke School District. Elena is the community coalition coordinator for the high school. Sonya is a migrant graduation specialist at the junior high.

Elena helps the schools communicate with the community, which is 90 percent or more Spanish-speaking. Sonya helps students focus toward college degrees.

“We are so excited to have them back,” Harlow said. “They are really talented young women.”

And intelligent. The majority of their college costs were paid by scholarships. The are visible proof for youngsters that growing up in Mattawa and the Wahluke school system can boost you toward success, Marlow said.

“Kids coming through now can see that Mattawa students can succeed at high levels,” he said.

Elena was born in Mexico and brought here by her parents at the age of 3. She doesn’t know Mexico. Sonya was born a little more than three years later — in Othello. And she doesn’t know Mexico.

Although Elena and Sonya are cousins living in the same community, they didn’t know each other well through high school. Three-plus years was a large age gap. Each had her age-group friends.

“We didn’t talk to each other in high school,” Elena said.

Elena was starting her fourth year of Community Health Studies at Eastern Washington University when Sonya showed up for her freshman year. Sonya moved in with Elena and Elena’s sister, Criselia, who was also studying at Eastern.

“We just kind of knew that if she went to Eastern, she would live with me and my sister; we’re family,” Elena said.

That understanding comes from traditional Mexican family life. Although the cousins were raised in America, they live mostly by the customs of traditional Mexican families.

Criselia graduated and moved on to a career as a paralegal in Washington, D.C. Elena and Sonya continued to live together while Elena studied for a master’s degree in communication studies and Sonya continued on toward a bachelor’s.

Elena received her master’s at a 9 a.m. graduation ceremony last spring. The afternoon of the same day, Sonya received her bachelor’s. They attended each other’s commencements.

“We got closer together in college,” Sonya said.

Elena and Sonya are still together a lot. They hang out together, and they run and exercise together.

“We were in Seattle just a couple of weeks ago,” Elena said.

Elena and Sonya were elated to have the opportunity to come home to work. They were both hired during the summer. Each moved in with her parents.

Again it was a matter of traditional Mexican family life. Elena and Sonya didn’t need to be told to live with mom and dad. It was understood. It saved them rent and helped their families too.

“Our parents need a lot of support, and we help them,” Elena said.

Elena’s father has had some heart issues in recent times. Medication is costly, and Elena makes sure he has it.

“My parents are so excited,” Sonya said. “Mom makes me tortillas.”