Speaker 1: OTAN, Outreach and Technical Assistance Network.

America Moreno: I was born in Los Angeles and I grew up in Nicaragua for 18 years of my life. I had all of my family in Nicaragua. I had my mom, my dad, my cousins, my grandma, my grandpa. I was in a school in Nicaragua middle school, high school, and actually University.

Marcia Bergen: In her country things were getting more dangerous, politically dangerous and her mother wanted her to be safe and away from there.

Neylan Mairena: So we decide my husband Raul and I that was time for America to come to the United States.

America Moreno: I think that transition it made me feel depressed. It made me feel anxiety sometimes and frustration, because I always had people around me. And to come here and leave everything behind, it was a new start, but it was really complicated. When I found Torrance Adult School for a family member. So I started learning the language. I took ESL classes.

Neylan Mairena: The first day that we came to school America was very nervous. She was crying and was very disappointed because she feel like she wouldn't make it.

Marcia Bergen: As teacher and her mother were talking in English and she didn't understand English. She was scared, she was frustrated, and she was crying.

Sharon Freeman: I saw this young lady who was just overwhelmed with emotion and she started crying. So I went over to her and put my arms around her and I said don't worry, you'll be OK, we'll take good care of you here. And I assured her mom that she was in good hands.

America Moreno: I was frustrated. I was like why I came here, why do I have to start over, why this happened to me. I don't understand anything, I don't I don't know what I'm going to do here.

Veronica Nieves: She was nervous but there was this element of like, I want to do what I can to make my life, a good life, a better life. She was definitely somebody who wanted to succeed, but at that point she was a little hesitant as to how that was all going to happen.

Parisa Razavi: She had to work in a department store at the same time her mom left her actually to go back to her home country. And she had to work very hard to do her studies at the same time learn the language.

America Moreno: I was, I just want to grow, I just wanted to challenge myself. And I really want to do something in life.

Neylan Mairena: She was very firm, she was saying, no though it's getting tough for me, I will make it and I will stay here. Because I have people who help me, I have people who care for me, I have people who believe in me.

America Moreno: Miss Sharon Freeman, Veronica Nieves, Parisa Razavi, they all were from room 10. That was my favorite room because I had a great experience in them. They were my second mom, my second dad, and actually this school TIS was my second home.

Parisa Razavi: She finished her high school equivalency exams all during pandemic with all those restrictions. And whenever she joined my online Zoom classes, she was really motivated.

Veronica Nieves: The motivating force for her was making sure that her family could see that she was making her dreams possible and it would benefit everyone.

America Moreno: All my work was on that diploma, all my tears were on the diploma. And it feels really good inside to have my diploma something that I worked hard for it.

Marcia Bergen: She gave a very professional speech also in the way she spoke and addressed the other graduates and how important it was to get your education and keep working hard.

America Moreno: I really had a great experience in Torrance Adult School and I wanted to share that with all the viewers.

Sharon Freeman: And her crowning glory was taking the microphone that day and presenting her speech at the graduation. So of course, I'm watching this online and I'm clapping and I'm cheering and I was so excited for her.

Neylan Mairena: After all the sacrifices that she made and it's like she did it.

America Moreno: Once I got my high school diploma, I told myself, no we're not going to stop here. We're going to move up. We're going to look for University, for college.

Sharon Freeman: She's a good role model for other students who want to succeed and get ahead and achieve their goals and get what they come to school for.

America Moreno: Just look at myself. I didn't speak the language, I didn't know about the system, I didn't know about the culture. Just go for it.

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