He Couldn’t Graduate…
Luis suffers from a disease called neurofibromatosis, which is a condition that causes tumors to form in the brain, the spinal cord, and the nerves. He had many setbacks in his early education due to his medical issues. By the time he should have been in the fourth grade, he was too old to be allowed back into elementary school. Because he hadn’t graduated from elementary school, he also couldn’t enter middle school. He desperately wanted to finish his education, but no school would accept him.
Last year, Agua Viva opened a special accelerated learning program, and Luis and his mother became very excited when they learned he could enroll. He was able to finish fourth, fifth, and sixth grade in one year, and his teachers scheduled his tests around his doctor appointments and hospital visits. Luis graduated from elementary school last year and was able to start middle school soon thereafter. His parents are proud of his hard work!
This year has been difficult because of Covid-19, so Luis’s family is thankful he’s been able to continue his studies at home during the pandemic. He and his cousins have pooled their resources to purchase internet plans so they can download their lessons and participate in their weekly video classes. Luis is still unsure which career he might pursue, but he knows his quality education at Agua Viva will open up doors to employment opportunities in the future.
