Mercedes Morales is one of those people who finds good in everything and passes kindness on to everyone.
Along with Kendelyn Jessup, Morales is one of the Welcome Center women at Bowie Middle School.
Eighth grader Melanie Morales (no relation) read a bio about Mercedes Morales for the daily announcements to celebrate Hispanic Heritage month and honor Ms. Morales.
They are the first faces you see when you arrive at the campus, the first voices you hear to welcome parents and families to the building and they take phone calls every minute of the school day.
Morales has worked for Ector County ISD since 1998 starting off with part-time and sub work. One of her first jobs was working with the school nurses on student vision and hearing screenings, which she loved.
She has also served as a teacher’s aide.
Morales said she sees her position as being customer service based serving parents, students and anyone who comes to the school.
“I love it,” she said.
Morales came to the United States from Mexico, starting off in New Mexico. It took her about two years to learn English.
She and her husband came to the United States in 1984 looking for better opportunities. Her husband got a job at a New Mexico ranch.
They had a little black-and-white TV where Morales watched soap operas. She could tell what was going on even though she didn’t understand the words. Ultimately, she learned English and earned her GED within six months.
She and her husband Manuel have three children and four grandchildren with one on the way. Her children were part of why she wanted to learn English.
Being bilingual makes it nice for the parents and students because some don’t speak the language.
“I feel so good whenever (I) can help them, because when I got here, I didn’t know the language. I feel sometimes like one of them, because when I got here, I didn’t even know how to read or write the language. I started little by little to learn the language and start to write, because I had to,” Morales said.
She often shares her experience with kids from other countries and tells them they can learn English. Morales said she was around “30-ish” when she started working for ECISD.
“Whenever I was thinking about going to work in the school district, I said to myself, it doesn’t matter if I have to do floors like custodians. It doesn’t matter if I have to work in the cafeteria, but I have to be in public schools so I can take care of my kids,” Morales said.
That way she could work and follow her kids’ schedule.
“But let me tell you something, God had different plans for me at that time,” Morales said.
She never was a custodian or cafeteria worker. She worked in offices and classrooms. She thanks God she had a chance to be a housewife and a professional.
“I think that is a big, big blessing and a big example for my kids, that if I can do it, they can do it,” Morales said.
Her sons each have businesses and her daughter is a nurse
Her husband is a welder and has also found success here.
“He’s been successful in life, too. He’s been trying so hard to have our family furnished with everything they need. He’s very hard working man. He’s very responsible. He’s a good dad. We’ve been married for 41 years. I have four grandkids and one on the way. We’re so blessed to have her in our lives. It’s a miracle,” Morales said.
Bowie Principal Amy Russell is so proud to have Morales and Jessup at the Welcome Center.
“They are the first face parents see and certainly the first voice to welcome parents and families into our building, or answering phone calls each and every minute of the school day. At Bowie Middle School for Hispanic Heritage Month, we had students read something for each day on announcements,” Russell said.
“Well, for this year, I wanted that ‘something’ to be about Hispanic heroes right here at Bowie so students could hear our teacher and staff stories. Each day we picked a staff member to celebrate. Ms. Morales was chosen as she is such an encourager and a positive example and always greets our parents in English and Spanish and makes them so welcome. She helps our bilingual and newcomer students with directions to classes, or to help familiarize students and parents to our community and how we do education in here in the U.S. She helps support all our students and parents from all backgrounds. Her gift is that she’s constantly encouraging students who are newcomers. She lets them know that, yes, it’s hard to come to a new country and a new language, but she tells them since she did it, they can too!”
