The 50-year diploma

Michael Miller

Aide Brambila’s public education, which began with her packed in a

room of 50 children, ended with her alone amid a stack of volumes.

As a child growing up in Jalisco, Mexico, Brambila attended first

grade and second grade in a tiny, two-room schoolhouse. Afterward,

she had to travel to other towns to attend secondary school; her

village, with a population of about 400, didn’t offer the third grade

and above.

Nearly 40 years later, the 50-year-old Costa Mesa resident once

again went out of her way to go to school. This evening, Brambila is

scheduled to be the commencement speaker at Centennial Education

Center in Santa Ana, where she finished four years of high school

course work in about 16 months.

“School is always something I have desired,” Brambila said.

“Although I was busy with other things, the idea of going back was

always there.”

Brambila’s diploma from Centennial marks a goal that has eluded

her since she immigrated to the United States in 1973. Despite having

a Mexican secondary-school degree when she arrived in Costa Mesa,

Brambila lacked the money and time to pursue an American education.

With a broken marriage and two children, she had to focus on

supporting her family.

Instead of applying for welfare, Brambila found work as a

seamstress at Colgan Custom, an automotive- accessories company in

Fountain Valley. In subsequent years, she held consulting jobs for

American Stitchco in Arkansas and TMI Products in Los Angeles County.

Early last year, however, with her children grown and her pocketbook

full, Brambila decided to fulfill a dream that she had put off for

three decades.

“She just comes from that line of people who have an innate

curiosity,” said her mother-in-law, Marian Perrin, of Newport Beach.

In February 2004, Brambila entered Centennial, a continuation high

school run by Santa Ana College in which adults work independently

with teachers and aides to complete their coursework. To graduate

from Centennial, students must earn 160 credits in science, math,

English and other subjects. Many students stretch the work out over

several years while working during the day, but Brambila decided to

get it done quickly.

Over the last 16 months, she worked vigorously, day and night,

putting herself through at least one test every two weeks. Late

Wednesday, she finished her last assignment -- an essay about what

she had learned while taking a composition course -- just in time to

be eligible for graduation.

“It has been nonstop with my books,” Brambila said. “Otherwise, I

never would have achieved it.”

Although most of her work was independent, Brambila grew immersed

in the campus atmosphere as well, taking an advanced English-grammar

class and serving in the student government.

Nilo Lipiz, the dean of instruction and student services at the

Santa Ana College School of Continuing Education, said instructors

chose Brambila as a graduation speaker because of her work and

leadership experience.

“She’s an exemplary student,” Lipiz said. “She serves as a role

model to her fellow students.”

Tonight, a year after she was admittedly “overwhelmed with

everything” at the school, Brambila will exit with a speech and $650

in scholarships to go to Santa Ana College.

She wants to transfer to a four-year college as a

human-development major and become a counselor for disadvantaged high

school students. Part of her goal is to keep children from needing to

return to high school as adults.

* MICHAEL MILLER covers education and may be reached at (714)

966-4617 or by e-mail at michael.miller@latimes.com.