For Yesika Beatriz Cruz, the journey to college has been long and challenging. Growing up in a small town in El Salvador, Yesika did not have the opportunity to go to school every day. Immigrating with her family on foot to the United States, Yesika sees the challenges she has met so far as character building. “I have faced so many things in life. I think my life is made of challenges, challenges that just shaped me as a better person.”
Motivated to take advantage of all that education in the US has to offer, Yesika is very proud of her accomplishments in school, especially becoming a peer tutor and the coach of the girls soccer team. “Now that I am in the US, I have really learned to value education and I want to be the first person in my family to go to college.”
We’re glad Yesika will join her cohort in applying to their dream colleges and universities this fall.