Growing up in an immigrant household, education wasn’t just important; it was everything. My parents came to the United States from Mexico without having finished elementary school themselves, and when they arrived, they made it their mission to give my brothers and me the opportunities they never had.
However, growing up in a low-income neighborhood in the Bronx meant that the schools around us weren’t providing that opportunity. They were ineffective, unsafe, and simply not the right environment for a kid trying to build a future. My grades reflected it, and so did my confidence. I often felt invisible, like just another face in the crowd that no one had the time or energy to invest in.
My mom, however, refused to accept that as our reality and took matters into her own hands, searching for a school that would actually give us a fighting chance. She found a private school in Manhattan, which seemed like a fresh start, and I remember her telling me, “This time it’s going to be different.” But the same problems followed me there. I was being harassed and picked on by teachers and staff. Every move I made seemed to result in some kind of punishment. I remember crying on my way to school every morning, begging my mom to send me back, feeling more alone than I ever had. It was one of the lowest points of my life.
But that’s where I made another choice, one that changed everything. My mom found a second private school nearby, made possible through a scholarship awarded to me through Children’s Scholarship Fund. From the moment I walked in, everything was different. The teachers actually saw me, supported me, and pushed me in ways I had never experienced before.
For the first time, I wasn’t just a name on an attendance sheet; I was a student someone believed in, and that made all the difference. My grades improved significantly, allowing me to earn a spot at one of the most prestigious high schools in New York City.
None of this would have happened without school choice. If this scholarship hadn’t existed, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Now I am attending Syracuse University where I am studying to get my degree in Computer Science.
To anyone undecided on this issue, please spread the word, advocate for school choice, and fight for every child’s right to a great education—their future depends on it.
