Collegio Online

Issue date: 5/1/08 Section: Front Page

Media Credit: Doug Graham/Collegio Janie Perkins

As part of the Tilford Lecture Series, Janie Perkins, Kansas Regent, talked to about 40 students, faculty and staff about her personal experiences as a second language learner and the difficulties she has faced throughout her life. The speech was held at 2 p.m. Friday, April 25, in the Balkans Room of the Overman Student Center.

Perkins was born in a small village in Mexico, where there was no electricity and no health clinic. She says that she had a happy childhood, even though she hadn't attended school.
She came to America at age 10.

"You do experience some discrimination, and it might hurt, but I tried to turn each experience into a learning opportunity," Perkins said.

Her first teachers were nuns; one in particular, her second-grade teacher, would read to the class, and even though Perkins didn't understand what was said, she says that she could tell that the stories were good by watching the teacher's expressions.

"From the first time I was able to read I haven't been able to stop," Perkins said. "I went back and read every book she read to us."

Her parents could not speak English, so she became their interpreter. Sometimes when things would go wrong while she was interpreting, she felt that it was her fault.
After high school, Perkins got married. She and her husband, Harold, both had ambitions: she wanted to be a teacher and he wanted to be a doctor.

They set up an 11-year plan and moved from Garden City to Wichita to pursue their dreams.

By the end of the plan, they had five kids. Perkins and her husband had both finished their degrees and then returned to Garden City. Perkins joined the Garden City school district and her husband began a family practice.

Community service became her passion; she ran for the city commission and served as mayor.

"It was really hard, but if you can recall where I came from and the support of the community... it just really touched me," she said. "What if my family had never brought me here? What if the community had never embraced me? I have so much to be thankful for."

In 2005, she was elected to the Board of Regents.
Perkins gave her audience some advice.

"Never give up; keep your dream alive; stay strong," she said. "You're gonna have your valleys... I've been there, I know how it feels. I still haven't stopped dreaming."

She also spoke of how Hispanics feel in school.
"Teachers are held in high respect, children always use their title because they hold them higher than the president," Perkins said. "They are trying to show that respect."

Natalie Mari, senior in psychology, says that the lecture was moving.

"She made me tear up," Mari said. "It's always inspiring to hear of someone who rose above their situations."

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