Im going all the way

I don’t fall apart because of the hope that lives in my heart. Not minding what other people think, not minding what other people say, I give it all. I give it all to my education.

 I have been taught and I believe that my education is what will determine the rest of my life. I can be a failure and give up and say it’s too hard. I can’t. It’s not possible. Or I can feel the fear and still commit myself to success. People just don’t understand what my education means to me. I don’t want to be part of the statistics. Another Hispanic girl that is pregnant. Or in fact another Hispanic who drops out.

Throughout my life I have had a lot of good role models that have told me how important it is to get a good education and to eventually go to college. 

Last September, my brother and I joined Reality Changers, a program that builds first generation college students. This program helps students get through high school with anything they need. Students are expected to follow rules such as maintain good grades and serve community service hours. The program prepares them for tests such as the SAT and helps them fill out college applications in their senior year.

Seeing my friends actually commit to and go through the process made me believe even more that I could do it too.

I was born in Leon Guanajuato I was brought to California when I was one. I am considered an illegal alien when it’s not my fault. It’s very disappointing to find myself without the same college opportunities as people that are born here. But it’s even more disappointing to find teenagers throw their life away by making bad choices because they want to be cool and accepted.

 

I don’t doubt it and I live out of hope that I will go to college and a very good college and I know that I am going to commit to it.

 

One day I was talking with my cousin Elena. And we somehow started to have a conversation about education and how life is hard. It knocked me off my feet when she told me college was too hard and she was not planning to go. It was shocking to hear her way of thinking. I could not believe it. How could she not take advantage of the many advantages she has? How could she not want to reach out and grab the dream?

 

I believe and I know that I will attend college. I also want to be a good role model for my niece and for the tae kwon do kids that look up to me.

Just like there has been good role models in my life there has also been and will always be people and situations that will try to stop me from my battle. They may slow me down but they will not stop me because I’m the only obstacle to my success.

 The good thing is that I don’t plan to hold me back.

 

 

I am going all the way, I am going to college!

By Alma Mendoza