Education: Anderson Valley High School
Abstract: Guadalupe Lizette Guerrero, also known as Lupita, grew up in a tiny rural town called Boonville in Northern California. Her parents migrated from Michoacan, Mexico two years before she was born, in search of a better life. Their education did not exceed elementary school and they were happy that their daughter would have the privilege of obtaining a better education. During elementary school she encountered many obstacles, one being the language barrier. After several years of struggling, Lupita finally became a fluent English speaker.
Once she entered high school, teachers began encouraging her to look at colleges she might like to attend, an idea that had not yet occurred to her. She joining the AVID program (Advance Via Individual Determination), hoping to get help on the college application process. There, teachers helped her with applying to college as well as for every available scholarship.
Lupita also became part of the basketball, volleyball, and track teams while participating in other extracurricular activities and community service, in the hopes of increasing her chances at acceptance to college. Her parents supported her along the way and accompanied her to visit several colleges before making a decision. She finally chose St. Mary's as the school where she would receive her undergraduate education.
Being the first in her family to attend college was not easy. Although her parents were proud of her accomplishment, it was very difficult for them to understand that their daughter was moving away from home. This was difficult for her too because she had never been away from home and her two younger sisters. She knew she was a role model to them and felt pressure to succeed.
Today Lupita is halfway through her first year at Saint Mary's. She knows that her experiences as a first generation college student are valuable, for they are similar to those of may who set foot on a college campus for the first time. She hopes that by telling her story other students will realize that although being a first generation college student is difficult, it does not make it impossible to succeed in college.
Keywords: family, first generation, AVID
The Guerrero Family at Lupita's graduation
A missed loved one. |
