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[MUSIC PLAYING]

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Logo, Otan, Outreach and technical assistance network.

Logo, Adult Education Students, California Adult Education Students Succeed 2015.

Image. Text, Crystal Montero, Berkeley Adult School.

She stands at the front of a classroom and teaches. Text, Crystal Montero, C.A.E.S.S. 2015 Honoree.

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CRYSTAL MONTERO: My childhood is tough. And my situation during that time is Vietnam War.

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Image, old childhood picture.

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And I'm not successful at my school because I'm different, because I'm a transgender kid during that time. And I don't have a chance to go to school because a lot of people there looked at me in stereotype.

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Image, old adolescence picture.

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And I don't have chance to go to school like other kid did.

I came here in the United States in 1981. I came here by myself. I had to work. I don't have chance to go to school until I married with my husband, Ron Montero.

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Picture, couple.

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And I had a lot of chance to go to school.

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Text, Linda Hsu, ESL Teacher, Berkeley Adult School.

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LINDA HSU: Crystal was in my class when I taught beginning high, and that was four years ago. So she was one of my students. I got to know her through the class. I really enjoyed Crystal because she was an eager learner and always very positive and upbeat.

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Joyce Barison, ESL Teacher, Berkeley Adult School.

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JOYCE BARISON: From the first time I met her, I found her to be an amazing person. And she was an excellent student. Her attendance was wonderful. She came every day. She had a great attitude. Other students really liked her a lot.

CRYSTAL MONTERO: It's not only ESL that I learned. I learned a lot of things as well. I learned business, I learned computer, and I learned how to survive. I learned how to looking for a job. I learned how to be challenging myself in this society.

(DESCRIPTION)
Dr. Vinya Sisamouth, Director of Center of Lao Studies.

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DR. VINYA SISAMOUTH: She's actually a member of the Center for Law Studies. And Crystal work with us, especially when we have special events. She's a great cook, so she cooks great [INAUDIBLE] dishes. And she always volunteer her time and give back to the community.

NAOMI QUINONES: I just find that she's a very generous person.

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Naomi Quiñones, Employee Supervisor, Berkeley Adult School.

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I know she loves to cook. And so I've been the beneficiary of many of her cooking excursions.

TOM REID: It's really, really exciting for us to have Crystal here, who's now working as a student worker for us.

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Tom Reid, Principal, Berkeley Adult School.

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She came as an ESL student, worked her way through ESL, took some CTE programming here, and is now serving other students in her student worker role. And it's so exciting to see that she's not stopping, but has ambitions to go into college, to university.

LINDA HSU: She brings a pleasantness and her warmth with her to the school. And that's great, especially since she works with other students. Many times, the students feel nervous, especially over testing. They sometimes feel very nervous. I think to have somebody that's warm, and confident, and smiling just helps put them at ease. I think she's really good for the job she does.

JOYCE BARISON: I have every confidence in Crystal because she has so far achieved all the goals that she has set for herself. I love the goal that she has. So she wants to go to college, but her main goal is to become a public speaker. And I really could see her achieving that goal. And she wants to become a public speaker for human rights, but especially to speak out for the LGBTQI community.

CRYSTAL MONTERO: Adult school is amazing. Adult school is helping me change my life. Adult school has helped me to maintain my transition. I should say that because they accepted me. I love this country a lot. And I have changed, and I have a lot of opportunity to learn that I haven't learned before. And I'm so proud to be here in this country, and also, I'm so proud to be here at the learning at the Berkeley Adult School.

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Special thanks for Berkeley Adult School, Producer Blair Roy, Director Douglas Rennie.

Produced by OTAN, www.otan.us, 2015.