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Speaker: OTAN, Outreach and Technical Assistance Network.

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Crystal Espinoza: We grew up in East Fresno, so it was a little rough area, lot of gangs and violence there. We were able to always go to school safe, and come home safe. My parents provided everything for us that we needed to succeed in life.

Crystal Rodriguez: She got pregnant at a very young age, and had a child, and ended up dropping out of school so that she could get a job.

Crystal Espinoza: It really saddened my family because my mom and my dad had high expectations of me of going off to college, and getting a career, and being independent. And all those dreams and hopes kind of were on a pause because I was a teen parent. And I had to quickly grow up. I had to quickly be responsible.

In the culture, if you have a baby, you have to be married. So when I got married, I was a teenager, and I was not prepared. It was extremely hard. It was extremely hard to have those responsibilities.

Ed Schmalzel: She was a teenage mom. She went through an early marriage, domestic violence, loss of family members, including her own child.

Crystal Espinoza: I needed to put all my energy into something positive, which was to go back to school and earn my high school diploma.

Crystal Rodriguez: So she came back to school in 2017 at Clovis Adult.

Paula Espino: She just had that sparkling personality, and ever since that day, she's been like my favorite student.

Crystal Espinoza: I really didn't have to do much but get my transcripts and show up to an appointment to see where I was at and how many credits I needed. Just sitting there, I knew that this was a good thing for me, that this was going to be the door that I needed to open for my future.

Kerri Nevills: There were some things going on in her life and in her past. But she seemed to rise above that, and it didn't seem like she brought it with her.

Kayce Reitz: Giving up time to do what she did for work in order to be in class during those hours may have affected her. But I didn't recognize it on my end. She was a completely successful student all around, in every aspect in my classroom.

Crystal Rodriguez: She was very motivated, very dedicated. Loved to interact with other students and motivate them.

Paula Espino: When she interacted with our students, she was a great role model as far as letting the students see that just because life gets hard sometimes that you can still succeed.

Crystal Espinoza: At graduation, I was shaking. I was shaking, not only because I was finally going to graduate, but I was going to give one of the speeches for graduation.

Paula Espino: And I just remember her being so happy, and so excited, and tears coming from her eyes.

Crystal Espinoza: It was amazing. That's something that I will never forget, that I will always tell my kids and my grandkids, if I ever have any.

Crystal Rodriguez: She also got a part-time position as an instructional aide in special education here in Clovis Unified, which is awesome. We love to see our students go into our programs and work with our district.

Crystal Espinoza: I want to do special education because my son has ADHD, and he's been in special education since he was in fourth grade, all the way to high school.

Kerri Nevills: I do distinctly remember saying, but Crystal, why stop at IA? Why stop at an instructional assistant? Why not go on and become certified as a special education teacher? I said, you don't need to limit yourself. You have the ability. You have the intelligence. You have the drive, and the determination, and the motivation.

Crystal Espinoza: Miss Nevills-- she convinced me. She definitely convinced me to fill that application to college and to pursue my credential in teaching.

Kerri Nevills: After earning her high school diploma, she moved on to the community college. And now hopefully, she'll go on, and become certified, and become a credentialed teacher.

Ed Schmalzel: We are so lucky that she chose Clovis Adult School and that she used us as a launching pad to move on to her next goal.

Crystal Espinoza: And for me to say now I'll be going to Fresno State and to pursue my education, to get my degree, and to go into the teaching program, and getting my credentials. It's like, wow, OK, let's keep going. Let's keep going, and let's get this degree. So I just want to be an encouragement to others, that no matter what you go through in life, that you can do it. Just keep going. Don't give up.

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