My family moved to our mobile home community when I was two years old. It was like walking into a whole new world. My parents had grown up in Mexico, and were not native English speakers. It was like they were learning to find their way all over again.

The first contact I had with Path United was through their preschool program. It was a safe place for my mom to drop me off. They had storytime, after school programs, homework help, and more. Through the years, I kept coming back not because my mom said so, but because I wanted to. I was building such close relationships there. The staff and teachers were like an extra set of parents. They strengthened my belief in God and my sense of security.

Now it's my turn to pay it forward. I'm 17, and I decided to do my high school internship helping other immigrant families with the resources they need through Path United. I'm proud to say I go to the #1 school in Georgia for academics, and it's thanks to the support system I had growing up. I am so thankful to live in such a diverse community, to be an American. I feel I've been given a huge opportunity to succeed and I'm not going to waste it.