The Bonds of a Family
With OLP situated in the hub of bicultural commerce, the history runs deep of educating girls who daily cross the border to have a seat in class. Yet it was truly foresight on the part of the parents of Carina Valladolid ‘94 and Marcela Valladolid ‘96 to send their daughters to OLP with a committed understanding in the value of providing a strong, rigorously academic, Catholic education, along with an immersive American experience. They did not want to forgo their own rich culture of the Tijuana community, which their daughters could return to in the evening, which has had a transformational impact upon their lives. Living a bi-national daily experience of waking up in Mexico, traveling to the United States for education and returning in the evening to Mexico, created a strength, an awareness, and an advantage for Carina and Marcela that has defined who they are in the world and has allowed them to enjoy incredible success, which has transcended to the next generation of Valladolid young women. The core of the Valladolid legacy centers around the bonds of family, faith, love and heart.
“There is a saying in Spanish that is applied to women which states ‘the less you speak, the more beautiful you look,’ which is so sad. Attending OLP provided me with an opportunity to stand in my own power in a way that I had never experienced before. For us to go to OLP, it was just women at the podium. It was just women with the microphone. It was just women raising their hands. It was definitely life changing. We had the best teachers. Everybody was so open minded; everybody was so encouraging. It really was a safe space,” Marcela shared with GB Magazine.
“By attending OLP, I became aware that there was more in life. It was the first space I remember not being scared to be me,” reflects Carina Valladolid ‘94. Carina recalls, “When we went to OLP, we developed an outlook that was more flexible. It is those spaces of flexibility that allow me to break so many patterns of so many set ways. Today, the relationship I have with my daughters is one of respect, acceptance, and letting them live their lives in their authenticity. It had its roots in learning to think differently while attending OLP.”
Carina and Marcela both share that their bond as sisters is unusually close in a way that strengthens them both and allows the entire family to benefit. Marcela reflects, “What we do right, as a family, is non-judgment and a ton of respect between the members. Through a lot of work and evolution, the space that my sister and I have created is extended to the rest of the family. It involves respecting one another, not judging one another and focusing on the fact that life is to be enjoyed. The only thing that you are doing on my journey is walking it with me. There is no judgment; there is no opinion of my journey, unless it is asked.”
Each year, OLP joins together as a community to support the many multifaceted needs of our students through the annual Spring Soirée “Under the Blue Moon” on April 22. Revenue raised from the evening is directed toward student programming, athletics, our robust STEM and robotics programs, and ensuring that each young woman has access to an OLP education.
