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...]

I am a former foster youth, having been in the government system since I was eleven years old. My attempts to form personal relationships with my parents have been rejected from a young age, when my widowed grandmother adopted me. I have been a victim of verbal abuse. For years I found myself in the middle of a custody battle between my grandmother and my parents. Through the majority of my sophomore year of high school, I spent the majority of my time beside the intensive care unit bed of my mother who was in a medically induced coma after … [Read more...]

My name is Mariela and I'm fifteen years old. Throughout the age of 0-4 I really don't remember much, but my mom says that I was a very outgoing fun toddler. I don't have many memories of my early childhood, but clear memories formed at age 5 when I was in a terrible fire accident. Some may say that small kids don't remember much at that young age, but because this incident changed my life I remember it so vividly. That type of huge impact doesn't let you forget. We had been staying in Mexico and my parents left me and my sisters with my … [Read more...]

Growing up, the best was all I knew because that's what my parents had taught me to be. They would always push me to do everything at my best no matter what it was. It was like they wanted me to achieve everything they couldn't and take advantage of the free education they didn't have.1991 was the year my parents were forced to flee Somalia. There was a civil war going on, too many bystanders getting killed and the number of casualties were endless. My parents didn't feel safe enough and had no choice but to leave. And when they came to the … [Read more...]

My name is Hunter and I'm a senior at Escondido Charter High School.  A Bridge For Kids has been incredibly influential throughout my later high school years. I have always known that I want to study humanities or business in college, and reaching this goal has always been my top priority. I have also always been involved in sports at my school, and they have been a huge part of my development as an individual. A Bridge for Kids has supported me in both of my main efforts, and has made things that I never thought I could do possible. Even … [Read more...]

Some teenagers are more worried about buying the new hot item out there in the market, where I just worry about the price and thinking about how long this item would last me. As I grew up I had no idea how expensive electronics and or items were, as a seven year old little girl I would beg and beg for a laptop not knowing how much it would affect my family’s economic situation. Sooner or later, my parents were able to save up the money to buy one, thinking it would be the same speed and quality it was when they bought it but little did I know … [Read more...]

Although I have Mexican blood in me, I am the first of my family members to have been born in the United States. I come from a very hard working family; unfortunately they did not receive a higher level education due to economic problems when they lived in Mexico. Ever since my father came to the U.S. he has worked in several jobs such as construction, while my mother has worked in department stores and currently works at a daycare. These jobs may not pay as well as other professions, yet my family always tries to supply me with the necessary … [Read more...]