[music playing]

Margarito Contreras-chavez: When I came here to the US, I didn't understand English-- anything. So I didn't feel like a person who don't understand anything. So I decided to do that. I wanted to communicate with English speakers. This is what was my motivation. Also, I wanted to find a better job.

Katie Wodetzki: He was working part time, supporting himself. He was also helping to support his family. And he had education as his primary goal. So I saw him come in. Even though he was tired, he never really showed it.

Margarito Contreras-chavez: Sometimes it's hard to work at night and taking English classes in the morning, because sometimes we work late. Sometimes I left 1:00 AM, 2:00 AM, and then go home to sleep for a few hours. And the next morning, wake up early. That, at this point, is so difficult. But I wanted to improve my knowledge, and I wanted to keep learning English. In this country, it's very, very important to speak English if I want to go to the next step.

Joyce Lude: He started in our ESL class, and he progressed through all of the various levels of ESL. He then moved on and made that transition to GED preparation.

Katie Wodetzki: When he moved into the GED class, I was very taken with how he approached his learning. The really wonderful thing about Margarito is that he just had a natural way of engaging other students in his learning process.

Margarito Contreras-chavez: I used to help them because I learned from that too. With that, that was easier for me to remember everything. And at the same time, I felt happy because I was helping somebody else.

Monique Johnson: He was very helpful in a lot of ways, actually. Besides working on what he was doing, he was very strong in math, which is where a lot of people are weak. And so, he really helped out a lot of students and did some peer tutoring.

Mike Brockman: At the time that he was a student here, he was tutoring others. He connected with the library and began to work with them as well in that capacity, and just really touched the lives of so many.

Katie Wodetzki: He was also very compassionate and kind with the other students. As soon as he would pass a section of the test, he would come back in. Everybody would be so impressed, and then they would start asking him questions. And he was always-- he would always stop his process and help them.

Noemi Mitchell: I saw him, he was working so hard. And I think when you're working hard, you deserve to have it done and finish it.

Margarito Contreras-chavez: I can't believe when I passed my GED. I think that I never could do that. But finally, I reached that, and I felt so excited, happy. And I was sharing this happiness with everybody.

Joyce Lude: When he came in, in January when we knew the results, I mean, it was just such a happy day. Because we really knew that this was going to be opening additional doors. And because of the kind of person Margarito is, he really is an ambassador for our school.

Katie Wodetzki: He set the bar high as far as what it takes to be a GED student, in particular, an English language learner. Because it takes a lot of courage, it takes a lot of effort and perseverance.

Joyce Lude: He Is really a role model for many of our other international students. So we're just really happy for him and really that can-do attitude. He is successful, and he has made it work.

Monique Johnson: He's just such a fine example of what a person can do when they put their mind to it. And what an immigrant can do when they come to this country, and when they try to adopt America as their new home. And how he has just really become a part of our school and really the fiber of the community.

Katie Wodetzki: He's a very intelligent person. And in addition to that, he's a very compassionate and caring person. And when you have someone like that, that has a good mind that's led by the heart, that's a successful person.

Margarito Contreras-chavez: Never is it late to learn English, or whatever they want to study. I think so. We are humans, and we're capacited to do whatever we want.

[music playing]