Hardworking. That’s the first impression one would get upon meeting Jonathan. With his “Helix TENNIS” jacket on his back, book in his hand, and bright smile on his face, hardworking was the first impression that he made during his interview with A Bridge for Kids. Jonathan is an upcoming senior at Helix Charter High School in La Mesa. Passionate, dedicated, and diligent, Jonathan is looking at Stanford, Yale, and UCSD (just to name a few) with an intent on majoring in economics/business/finance. As mentioned in his essay, he came to America … [Read more...]

I was born in San Diego, California; I moved to Celaya in Guanajuato, Mexico after I was one month old, where I spent the next 14 years of my life. My family faced problems: socially and economically. My mother and father fought a lot and wanted to part ways. But, due to their economic statuses, they were unable to live separately from each other, creating deeper tensions in our home. After 14 years of marriage, my parents got divorced. Leaving me with the hardest decision I had to make. I had to choose between my mother, who suffered from … [Read more...]

Hello, my name is Angel, I am a 9th grader at Gompers Preparatory Academy and I was born in Tijuana, Mexico. My dad worked really hard, sometimes up to 12 hours a day during 6 years to bring us to the United States legally. I came to live in the United States in August of 2013, I did not know anyone and I did not know how to read, write, nor speak English. The first six months were really hard for me, they were stressful, tiring, hard, and exhausting, but I worked hard to be where I am at right now. I have had family problems, problems with … [Read more...]

I have always been taught by my parents to take every opportunity available to me, or, in some cases, make them available. I was taught to reach out and look for the blind spots; that there will always be something out there for my advantage. My name is Isabel and I am a senior at San Diego’s finest school, Gompers Preparatory Academy, and I have many things planned ahead of me. However, some of those plans will need to be put on hold for a while, or, worst case scenario, be forgotten. I say this because of my family’s financial situation. … [Read more...]

Isn’t it crazy to know that by May 1st, most high school seniors will know the college where they will be spending their next four years? Some commit earlier before the deadline, but that was not the case for me. I applied to 14 universities, and was admitted to 12. In the end, it came down to only three colleges: UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, and Claremont McKenna College. As an incoming science major, all three schools provided a strong education for me, which made my decision even harder. Fortunately, if I were to choose UCSD or CMC, I would be … [Read more...]

My name is Iris, and I am currently a junior attending West Hills High School. Since I was young, my mom encouraged my younger sister and I to dedicate ourselves to everything we do, appreciate what we have, and always be optimistic. My mom and dad are Chinese immigrants from Saigon, Vietnam, and never got an opportunity to go to college because of the lack of financial support in their families; my dad started working right after middle school. My parents got married and lived in New York for a few years, but they divorced when I was about two … [Read more...]

I earned myself a spot on the girls varsity basketball team freshman year. This came to me as a surprise because I had no prior basketball experience. I understood very little of the game and knew only basic basketball skills. My basketball skills slowly started to develop and expand as the years went on. Sophomore year, I was awarded as "Best Defensive Player"; This was the first basketball recognition I received and I was ecstatic with my improvement. Now as junior year comes to an end, I have recently been awarded as the "Most Valuable … [Read more...]

Growing up I have always looked up to my parents; as refugees of the Vietnam War, they came to the United States for a promising future for their children. Through their hard work in multiple jobs a day, I took this as a reflection of the person I envisioned for myself. Focused and fueled by a nature of determination, my father always had the mentality of attaining any goals if only enough effort was given. I have chosen to absorb his ethos and charge head on against any obstacles that I encounter and surmount the objectives that I set. As a … [Read more...]

“Tough time’s never last, but tough people always do.” My whole life has been a series of slaps in the face as I have faced many struggles in my life. These include being kidnapped and living the first six years of my life in Mexico with an abusive grandmother, and living in complete poverty because my dad has to pay at least $20,000 every year to the courts that my biological mother makes us go through. The biggest struggle that I have had to overcome took place the first six years of my life. My biological mother kidnapped my four siblings … [Read more...]