Some of NOC’s most attentive and engaged students walk miles to get to The Oaks’ Program Center each morning. Yahir and Hector Urias and their cousin Marlín Ramirez could often be spotted racing down the pathway beside Highway 278 an hour before class began each day during the summer session. They were followed by Yahir and Hector’s mother and Marlín’s two small sisters pushing a stroller. Inocencia Ramirez, mother of one of the boys, says that she and the rest of their family value education, and they also enjoy the exercise she and the five children get on their long walk from Marshland Road each day. These students are dedicated learners and a joy to be around. They also have dedicated parents who care about their future and appreciate the importance of education for their children.
