“It was cool just knowing - knowing that you could help people out. Being an Infórmate Teen Health Aide had a strong effect on my life. Now, I want to keep on going.”
Juan Cruz served as a Teen Health Aide at DuRussels’ Potato Farms in Michigan and in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. He was born in Florida, lived in Mexico until he was seven and then moved to Texas, where his family still lives. Juan started migrating to Michigan to work in agriculture as a teenager. He migrated with neighbors for two years while his parents remained in Texas with his brother and sister.
Juan worked in the packing shed at DuRussels’ the first year he came to work in Michigan. That year, the working hours prevented him from getting involved as a Teen Health Aide. The next year, though, he worked out a schedule with his boss so that he could attend the Infórmate (inform yourself) Teen Health Program trainings and activities, and he was selected to be a Teen Health Aide.
At first, Juan did not think that being a Teen Health Aide was “anything big.” Soon, however, he began involving camp residents in the Infórmate activities and providing them with valuable information and education. Juan says the most important thing about being a Teen Health Aide is “knowing that you could help someone out.” Juan’s involvement in the program also benefited him when one of his Program Coordinators talked to him about the importance of college and how to apply.
During the winter months of his senior year in high school, Juan became a Teen Health Aide in Migrant Health Promotion’s program in Texas. When describing his experience as an actor with the Teen Theater Troupe, Juan explained: “The acting was hard in the beginning, but then I got used to it.” Through the Theater Troupe, Juan and the Teen Health Aides taught their peers about HIV and AIDS in a creative, dynamic way.
The passion for education and working with others that Juan gained as a Teen Health Aide continues to drive his pursuit of higher education. Juan currently studies agricultural business management at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan, and he is specializing in Latin American/Caribbean international relations. Juan plans to continue his education by pursuing a Master’s Degree in Business Administration or a law degree. His long-term goals include running an agricultural business and working in international trade. In keeping with his role of Teen Health Aide, he is working to convince his brother and sister to attend college.
Update on Juan
In 2005, Juan received his college degree from Michigan State University (MSU). He is a proud graduate of the CAMP program and spent a short semester in Argentina. Juan says that MSU was a good experience for him and has these words of advice for other farmworker teens and Teen Health Aides, “You have no idea how many doors open up when you go to college. The sky’s the limit.”
While studying, a door for Juan opened at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), where he continues to work. As a Multi-Family Housing Specialist, Juan oversees housing loans for agricultural employers (also known as “growers”) and conducts camp inspections for the recipients of these loans. Juan enjoys helping to provide safe and sanitary conditions for migrant workers.
Juan is now married and has a two-year old daughter.