Author Francisco Jimenez came to HMS on the 4th of November for a school wide assembly to talk about his many books, his career, and his life.

6th grade students from the Napa Valley Language Academy joined HMS students for the assembly.

Dr. Jimenez talked about his books and how they came to be. He also explained the stories inside and the people and about his family and how they’re doing.

He spoke about how migrants live hard lives, but that without them we would not have a large portion of food on our plates or the America that we have today.

“The Mexican migrant experience is an important part of the American story,” he said. “They work very hard for you and I. They came because the hope and dream of a better future.”

He added that all his family were migrants and described how they lived, this is what his book The Circuit is about.

He talked about the importance of education and how it has gotten him to where he is today.  He values education very much; his sons are teachers and his wife is, too. Today Francisco Jimenez is a professor at Santa Clara University in California.

“Education will give you choices. Education is a wonderful gift. It will make a better future for yourself and for your children.”

Finally, he said, “Without teachers I would not be where I am today.”

I asked some students what they thought of the of the assembly and this is what they say;

“It was a great learning experience and It showed me how much we take our lives for granted” – Jake Hunter

“I learned a lot and i learn more about the book” – Elliot Sorh

“I liked the assembly and I liked how he came from nothing to something” – Aidan Ramblas