[MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: Today, Gerardo Quinones is a wonderful dad and a good provider for his family. But as a young man, he dropped out of school, and found himself taking the wrong path. 

GERARDO QUINONES: I probably would have been one of those statistics of gang violence, maybe in prison, because that's just where truly my life was going. I didn't have no way out. I didn't see no way out. I thought there was no other way. 

STEPHANIE QUINONES: It's hard. It's hard being out here by myself most of the time with the kids. It's very, very challenging. I thank God I had a supportive family and a good support system to help me through those hard times 

GERARDO QUINONES: My last time of being incarcerated, I remember just seeing older men there, and saying this must have been-- I must be them about 20, 30 years ago. And that's going to be me in about 30 years from now. So I think that was my turning point to say, hey, you know what, I think it's enough. 

So going to that school it was just exciting, because to see all the classrooms, to see all the hallways, to see all that. And seeing all the adults that are involved at the Hacienda La Puente Adult School, that was really my thing that said, man, this is cool, I like this. 

MAUREEN VENA: I think the first impression I had of Gerry is, he had a sense of humor. And I really relate to that. And the other thing is, I haven't had a lot of men finish the program. I've had a lot start. And the ones that have finished have really done very well. 

He's had enough experience, I think, in life that he knew how to ask questions. Some of my students are very, very hesitant. They're afraid. 

And Gerry was not that way. He knew this is something he wanted. And it was almost like, stand out on my way I'm going to get it done. 

PAT O'CONNELL: I said, why did you feel that you needed to reach out and talk to your teacher? He said, because I didn't believe that I could ever get this far in life. And Ms. Vena always wove into her classroom things like, Gerry, integrity counts. The things that you do when people aren't looking, that counts. And I would take that home, and I would share it with my kids. 

And I would-- She would say, don't settle for this, don't settle for that. And I would take that home and I would tell my kids, don't settle for these low paying jobs just because everyone in your neighborhood has this. And he was very inspired by Ms. Vena. So he felt that he needed to-- the least he needed to do is show her his success. 

ELAINE SEMO: I think through Gerry's vision, and his perseverance, and his hard work, allowed him to accomplish his dreams, which he held his dreams close to him. And he didn't let them falter. And he just stayed strong and steady on his course. And he was able to accomplish that. And we're proud of him for all the work that he's done. 

MAUREEN VENA: I feel accomplishment, like we've accomplished something, as a family because, like I said, from where we came from to where we're at now, I can definitely see growth. We've grown and matured. And I just want to thank him. I thank him for all that he does, for all that he's going to continue to do for our family. 

GERARDO QUINONES: And now I see people that are gang members, people that are drug addicts, and I'm able to talk with them and tell them, man there's hope. If you want to live that life all your life, go ahead. But there's a way out because you know what? I lived that life. I know there's a way out. 

[MUSIC PLAYING]