Wearing identical leis of fuchsia flowers around their necks,
brothers Travis and Zach Dutra made their parents doubly proud as
they accepted their diplomas at Gilroy High School’s graduation
ceremony.
Wearing identical leis of fuchsia flowers around their necks, brothers Travis and Zach Dutra made their parents doubly proud as they accepted their diplomas at Gilroy High School’s graduation ceremony.
“To have both of my sons graduating tonight,” Jane Dutra said, her voice catching, “it’s choking me up.”
On the surface, the two don’t look alike. Zach, 18, with his dark hair and strong features, stands several inches taller than Travis, 20, who Zach guided across the stage Friday night. But the smiles that crossed each of their faces when they shook Principal Marco Sanchez’s hand couldn’t have been more similar.
Travis was born with Down syndrome, a chromosomal disorder caused by the presence of an extra 21st chromosome and resulting in impairment of mental abilities and physical development. Though his parents suspected it at birth – Travis has the soft features characteristic of those with the disorder – they knew for sure within two days. Since then, some experiences have been harder than others, but Jane Dutra said she wouldn’t trade them for the world.
“I couldn’t see my life without him,” she said a few hours before watching her sons graduate. “My kids play a big role in this family. We all help each other out.”
But what may seem like “helping” to some comes naturally to Zach.
“We’re brothers,” he said simply.
The two drive to school together every morning and go bowling over the summer. But on more than one occasion, Zach has had to defend his older brother against ignorant bullies.
“I don’t do well when people pick on him,” Zach said. “Not many people know that he’s my brother.”
In junior high, Zach got into a fight with another student who tried to trip Travis.
“Most of the time, they’re just trying to show off to be cool,” Zach said.
The answer – Jane believes – is more awareness. Though she said she was happy with the education Travis received at Gilroy High School, she hopes people with disabilities will receive more recognition in the future – perhaps an extra page in the yearbook or article in the school paper. That way, his disability won’t be so foreign to some.
“They’re just like the rest of us,” she said.
But for the most part, people – especially teachers and students at Gilroy High – have been respectful and accepting of Travis’ disability, Jane said.
“His five years at the high school have been wonderful,” she said. “We just took it one day at a time. One thing we did like about the schools in Gilroy is that I never saw him singled out.”
Instead of receiving a diploma, Travis received a certificate of completion. To earn a regular diploma, students have to pass Algebra I and the state-administered California High School Exit Exam, two academic hurdles Travis can’t overcome, his mother said.
“For some of these kids, earning that certificate is such a major milestone and a huge accomplishment,” said Megan Hunt, head of the special education department at GHS. “I’ve had one student talking about graduating since August.”
Hunt’s department educates a range of students from those who are highly functioning but have learning disabilities to those with more serious obstacles to conquer, like Travis.
One of Hunt’s students, Nick Salazar, pumped his fist in the air as he made his way back to his seat Friday night. Up against autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and mild mental retardation, Salazar’s road to graduation was filled with setbacks.
“He’s had a rough high school experience,” said his grandmother and legal guardian, Kathy Salazar.
Weighing in at only three pounds when he was born, Nick came a couple months early, Kathy said. Fortunately, he was diagnosed when he was still in preschool, and his family was able to react accordingly. Sadly, some students aren’t properly diagnosed until well into their teens, and their disabilities are mistaken for bad behavior, Kathy said.
Next year, Nick plans to attend Gavilan College, which also has a program for students with special needs. There, he will join his girlfriend, who he met in his classes at GHS.
“I wasn’t really worried about not graduating because I knew I would do it,” Nick said. “I had some ups and downs but I got through it. I was able to pull through. I always go with the flow.”
Nick’s happy-go-lucky nature makes it easy to forget his frustration with some of the work leading up to graduation, his grandmother said.
“He had a tough time, academically,” Kathy said. “To get him to do his homework was like murder. His backpack was like a black hole. Nick would get frustrated and just walk of campus.”
At times, Nick told his grandmother that, after graduating, he was finished with school.
“Now he’s so excited about Gavilan,” she said, pausing to compose herself. “He’s worked really hard. I’m so proud of him.”
