Finishing Strong
Angelica, the eldest of two children, is the first in her immediate family to graduate from the ninth grade and proceed to high school. Her parents, due to a lack of opportunities in their youth, were unable to complete their schooling. This inability has prompted her parents to work hard to ensure that their children have access to a good education. Her father works in a local glass shop, and her mother earns a living by cleaning houses.
From a young age, Angelica was influenced by her mother’s generosity and encouragement. She dreams of becoming a pediatrician. “I remember the medical toys my mother bought me when I was a kid. We would play for hours and hours,” Angelica recalls with a smile.
In her final year of middle school, Angelica faced a financial crisis when her father, the family’s primary income earner, was bedridden due to an accident. Anticipating the financial strain, her mother secured a full scholarship from the school, which allowed Angelica’s education to continue uninterrupted. With tears in her eyes Angelica told us, “I thought I was going to wait a year to finish ninth grade, but Agua Viva did not turn its back. The school helped us when we most needed it.”
Although she will miss her “second home” at Agua Viva, Angelica is excited that she is one step closer to becoming the pediatrician she wants to be. Her story serves as an inspiration to other students and their families, demonstrating the power of perseverance and the importance of education.
