Homeless mom travels from Bronx shelter to Brooklyn every day to give her children an education

BY Rachel Monahan
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Thursday, October 8th 2009, 8:53 AM

She's got no job, no apartment, no husband - but Herminia Rojas is making sure her kids have something: a decent education.

The 41-year-old newly homeless mom of five spends three hours a day shuttling her boys between a Bronx shelter and Brooklyn schools.

She wakes them up at 5:30 every morning for the long journey on the D train through three boroughs to the neighborhood they once considered home.

"I want my children to be happy," Rojas told the Daily News. "We want to come back to the neighborhood, because we've been here most of our lives."

The family lost their Bensonhurst apartment in August because of money troubles. Rojas, who does housecleaning, couldn't find a cheaper place.

The Mexican immigrant ended up in a shelter in the Bronx - but is doing everything she can to make sure her kids aren't torn away from what they know best.

She enrolled her 5-year-old, Eduardo Rojas, in Bensonhurst's Public School 205 for kindergarten because his older siblings did so well there.

Big brother Jose Espinosa, 10, was at the top of his fifth-grade class at PS 205 last year. He got a perfect score on the state reading exam even though he had started the year behind because he was still working on his English skills.

He's now at Seth Low Intermediate School in his old neighborhood, with many of his elementary school classmates.

His older brother, Luis Espinosa, 20, who lost his job cleaning catering halls, also went to PS 205. So did older sister Maria Espinosa, 19, who earned an advanced Regents diploma from New Utrecht High School.

She had hoped to go to college but couldn't afford it. When she's not in cosmetology school, she's pitching in to make life easier for her mom.

"I'm proud of Eduardo going to the school," said Maria, who helps take the boys on their 90-minute morning trek.

"I'm proud of my mom trying to keep us in the neighborhood."

After Rojas' brood leaves the shelter in the Mount Hope section of the Bronx, they try to snag seats on a train that is often already crowded at 6:30 a.m.

The youngest, Eric Rojas, who turned 1 last week, gets held. Any open seat goes to Jose so he can get some extra sleep, while Eduardo snoozes in a stroller.

On the way home in the afternoon, Jose gets seat priority again because the subway car serves as his workspace.

"I usually do my homework, unless I need a textbook," said Jose, who added he wants to be a journalist when he grows up.

Rojas' kids are among 10,917 students who were living in city shelters when school started in September.

But most - 81% - are in shelters as close as possible to the youngest child's school and do not have to spend as much time traveling back and forth.

"It's very difficult," Rojas said of the commute.

"But they don't cry. They don't complain."

rmonahan@nydailynews.com

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/200 ... y_day.html

I had to respond to this but there isn't a comment section si I E-mailed the author:

I read your article earlier today and immediately was struck by the details you chose to leave out. Having then simmered for a time I had to respond.

You mention that this woman is an immigrant from Mexico but failed to tell when she immigrated or if she even came here legally. You mention that her two oldest children attended PS 205 but not if they were born here in the USA or entered our country when she did and under what circumstances. You mention that she was employed as a housekeeper but fail to indicate if she did so 'on the books'. You mention she has no husband but fail to include any info about the farther/farther's of her children or if the farther/farther's are supplying any support. You fail to mention how this family must be receiving social support at taxpayer expense entirely!

You did however slant this story to appeal to bleeding heart liberals who are intent on giving away taxpayer monies to Illegal Aliens. You should be ashamed to put forward such an agenda using children as subterfuge.

If I were a journalism Professor you'd get a grade of D on this article. No, I take that back, it's deserving of an F.

In closing I would ask that the next time such an article of yours as this one is printed at least have the courtesy to include a comment section.

I sincerely hope to get a response from you.