Mother Enrolls Four Sons in SMART’s Program, Sees Them Graduate
(Winter 2019) –Mimi Tran has been raising her four boys in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood, a few blocks from SMART’s offices. The entire family has been part of the SMART community since 2005. Phong, 23, and Hao, 22, are both alumni of the program, while their two younger brothers, Dinh, 17, and Trieu, 15, (pictured) are current SMART Scholars.
When Mimi speaks about her sons, she oscillates between a beaming smile and a focused countenance. She talks proudly of their many accomplishments and the committed work the entire family has put in to make them all happen. Mimi’s own journey wasn’t easy. She immigrated to the U.S. from Vietnam when she was 18. Here in San Francisco – a place entirely foreign to her – she started over. She recalls having to work her full-time job while taking English courses late into the evening.
In 2005, Mimi jumped at the opportunity to join the SMART community after one of Phong’s teachers nominated him for the program. After his time at SMART, Phong went on to graduate from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. “He’s in international business now!” Mimi mentions, smiling. Her next eldest, Hao, will complete his undergraduate studies at the Utah State University later this year.
With SMART’s guidance, Mimi navigated the often confusing San Francisco educational landscape, and lead her two eldest sons to college. “You know, it’s two sides working together. People from SMART help us work directly with the schools. That makes me feel very lucky,” Mimi says.
Dinh, her third son and junior at Stuart Hall High School, is a nationally ranked figure skater, having most recently medaled at the junior men’s division at the US Figure Skating Championships. Mimi’s noticeably proud of Dinh’s successes in skating and equally as excited by his recent interest in computer sciences.
She goes on to mention her youngest, Trieu, and his love of the ice (by way of hockey) before she seamlessly transitions to his current progress in school, as a sophomore also attending Stuart Hall High School.
With every memory and anecdote shared, Mimi reflects on the work it takes to forge these opportunities for her children. She remains committed to having each son go through SMART, building those relationships with their fellow peers and schools along the way. She champions her first-generation children through the rigors of education and extracurriculars in San Francisco, creating a path to their bright futures.
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