Their stories mainly consisted of how beautiful the landscape is in Laos. As time progressed, however, my parents made the decision to immigrate to the United States in the hopes of a brighter future.
All of my life, my parents impressed upon me one thing: the need for higher education (college). Thankfully for my parents and for me, I loved education! Education has allowed me to understand the interconnectedness of our histories, cultures and journeys. Education has also allowed me to understand more about myself. Although I knew I wanted to pursue higher education, I had no idea on how to apply and prepare for it. All I knew is that it was a dream of mine. This dream ultimately led me to join AVID. Like you all! I am an AVID scholar and Ms.McGraw was one of my teachers!
AVID has played such an important role in shaping my life. The curriculum sharpened my academic skills such as writing, reading, and question-asking. Additionally, through AVID, I became a better student, friend, activist, and leader. Most importantly, AVID provided me with a family and support classroom at school. By implementing the skills obtained through AVID with my passions, I was able to secure some amazing opportunities, got accepted into college, and receive many scholarships.
In college, I serve as a member of the President's Council for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion--I have bi-weekly meetings with the President of Gustavus Adolphus College to make sure the policies and changes on campus take into consideration the voices of historically underrepresented students. I am also a Teaching Assistant (TA) in the Department of Geography--I assist in Human Geography and World Geography.
