Zayaris was referred to us by another AP student who noticed her dedication to having a better life. She walked 3 hours one-way to high school, crossing multiple rivers that were regularly flooded during the rainy season. As the youngest of nine children, she has the chance to be the first one in her family tree to get a college degree. After her first year, Zayaris is excelling in her classes and learning English. Her dream is to be an engineer for the Panama Canal.
Without any safety net or assurance of being able to go to college, still Abdiel jumped off the proverbial cliff and applied. As an honors high school student, his consistency and hard work made an impression on everyone who came in contact with him. This has continued into his college career as he excels in software development. Abdiel is in his third year, and continues to work part-time helping his parents support their large family while going to school. Abdiel is the first person in his family to go to college and hopes to work for Ford Motor Company.