09/24/2026
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My Amarillo is a new Amarillo Tribune section that provides a space for our neighbors across the city to share what it is like to live here, in their own words. Our latest installment comes from Daniella Mendoza, development manager at the Don Harrington Discovery Center.
"I believe education has the power to change a life. I believe that because it changed mine and continues to shape my future through my career at the Don Harrington Discovery Center.
"I’m a first-generation Mexican American and I grew up on the East side of Amarillo. My parents didn’t have the opportunity to pursue much formal education themselves, with one only completing middle school and the other high school. But they made sure I understood from an early age that education could open doors for me that had not been available to them.
"They pushed me to work hard in school because they wanted me to have choices. They wanted me to have access to a future of broader possibilities than they had.
"I was also fortunate to have teachers in my life who invested in me and encouraged me to seek opportunities I didn’t know existed or didn’t feel qualified to pursue. Looking back, I realize how much these individuals changed the trajectory of my life simply by believing that I was capable of more and fighting for me to have a chance."
Read more here: https://amarillotribune.org/2026/09/23/dhdc-development-manager-on-how-education-changes-lives/
