Alondra’s Student Story

This story was originally written in Spanish.

Meet Alondra

Alondra is 20 years old and arrived in Chicago from Peru at the end of May 2023. She currently lives with her mom, aunt, cousin, and younger brother. Since she was little, Alondra has enjoyed playing volleyball, a passion she has maintained over the years. She completed her final year of high school at a school in northwest Chicago before taking the next step in her educational journey to college with the STAR Scholarship.

Alondra’s Path to College

“Mi mayor logro ha sido aprovechar el tiempo y las oportunidades que me han dado aquí. El hecho de poder ingresar a una high school y tener instructores y profesores que me ayudaron a enfocarme en lo que quiero lograr ha sido fundamental [My greatest achievement has been making the most of the time and opportunities I’ve been given here. Being able to attend high school and having instructors and teachers who helped me focus on what I want to achieve has been essential].”

When Alondra left Peru to join her mom in Chicago, her life took an unexpected turn.

“Cuando yo me vine de Perú, ya estaba en la universidad. Estaba en el primer ciclo [When I left Peru, I was already in college. I was in my first semester of university],” Alondra recalls. “Pero económicamente, no tenía un soporte muy grande para cubrir los gastos. Entonces, creo que la única solución que mi mamá pudo ver fue traerme aquí [But financially, I didn’t have a strong support system to cover the expenses. So, I think the only solution my mom saw was to bring me here].”

In Peru, Alondra had completed elementary school, high school, and had even started college. However, the U.S. education system required her to complete an additional year of high school. “Aquí me tocó hacer el último año porque en mi país son 11 años de escuela. Entonces, me faltaba un año para completarlo [Here, I had to do the final year because in my country, school lasts 11 years. So I was missing one year to complete my diploma],” she explains.

Transitioning from a private school in Peru to a public school in Chicago brought new challenges. “En mi país, estudié toda mi vida en un colegio privado. Cuando llegué aquí, la escuela era pública. No era tan rígida, pero sí eran estrictos con algunas cosas, como el comportamiento y las actividades [In my country, I studied my entire life in a private school. When I got here, the school was public. It wasn’t as rigid, but they were strict about some things, like behavior and activities],” Alondra says. “Al final, depende de ti si quieres avanzar, porque si no, te puedes quedar atrás y pues no corre por responsabilidad de nadie [At the end of the day, it depends on you if you want to move forward because otherwise, you can fall behind, and it’s no one else’s responsibility].”

“Al final, depende de ti si quieres avanzar, porque si no, te puedes quedar atrás y pues no corre por responsabilidad de nadie [At the end of the day, it depends on you if you want to move forward because otherwise, you can fall behind, and it’s no one else’s responsibility].”

Upon arriving in Chicago, she faced a level of independence she wasn’t accustomed to. “Es como que te dejan una responsabilidad a ti misma para ver cómo va surgiendo día a día [It’s like they leave the responsibility up to you to see how things unfold day by day],” she reflects. “En mi escuela de Perú, que era privada, los profesores eran más persistentes, quizás porque la exigencia era mayor. Aquí, en las escuelas públicas, no es tanto así [In my private school in Peru, the teachers were more persistent, maybe because the expectations were higher. Here, in public schools, it’s not quite the same].”

However, Alondra also appreciates the efforts schools in the United States make to help Spanish-speaking students master English. “Se enfocan mucho en reforzarnos antes de que entremos al college o a una universidad [They focus a lot on reinforcing our skills before we enter college or university],” she explains. This focus gradually helped her adapt and gain confidence.

“Se enfocan mucho en reforzarnos antes de que entremos al college o a una universidad [They focus a lot on reinforcing our skills before we enter college or university].”

Her initial shyness and the long distance from her family in Peru marked her first year in Chicago. “Al principio fui un poco más tímida, pero me fui soltando a lo largo del tiempo con nuevas amistades [At first, I was a bit shy, but I opened up over time with new friendships],” Alondra remembers. The decision to move was as significant for her mother as it was for her. In Peru, Alondra lived with her grandparents and older sister. “Extrañaba mucho a mi mamá y a mi hermano pequeño, pero mudarme a Chicago fue un año muy chocante para mí, porque nunca antes me había separado de mi hermana [I missed my mom and little brother a lot, but moving to Chicago was a big shock for me because I had never been separated from my sister before].”

Despite the challenges, Alondra found reasons to keep moving forward. “Mi mayor logro ha sido aprovechar el tiempo y las oportunidades que me han dado aquí. El hecho de poder ingresar a una high school y tener instructores y profesores que me ayudaron a enfocarme en lo que quiero lograr ha sido fundamental [My greatest achievement has been making the most of the time and opportunities I’ve been given here. Being able to attend high school and having instructors and teachers who helped me focus on what I want to achieve has been essential],” she says proudly. “Eso me ha motivado a perseguir mis sueños y seguir estudiando [That has motivated me to pursue my dreams and continue studying].” In high school, Alondra mentioned she received significant support from a counselor. “Realmente me apoyó en casi todo mi proceso para terminar la high school y poder entrar al college, incluso hasta el día de hoy [He really helped me through almost my entire process of finishing high school and getting into college, even to this day],” she shared.

“Realmente me apoyó en casi todo mi proceso para terminar la high school y poder entrar al college, incluso hasta el día de hoy [He really helped me through almost my entire process of finishing high school and getting into college, even to this day].”

Although Alondra is excited about building a future in Chicago, she confesses that the transition was harder than she expected. “Sí, realmente no pensé que me iba a chocar tanto. Yo quería volver a mi país, me chocó demasiado, la verdad. Extrañaba mucho a mi familia [Yes, I really didn’t think it would hit me so hard. I wanted to go back to my country. It was really tough, honestly. I missed my family a lot].”

The school also provided her with a space to explore academic options and plan for her future. “Mayormente me apoyaron en buscar nuevas opciones, nuevas universidades, nuevos colleges y poder conseguir una beca porque yo sé que aquí los estudios son un poco caros [They mostly helped me look for new options, new universities, new colleges, and to get a scholarship because I know education here is a bit expensive],” she explains. With dedication and effort, Alondra has been able to take advantage of the opportunities available and overcome the challenges she faced.

“Mayormente me apoyaron en buscar nuevas opciones, nuevas universidades, nuevos colleges y poder conseguir una beca porque yo sé que aquí los estudios son un poco caros [They mostly helped me look for new options, new universities, new colleges, and to get a scholarship because I know education here is a bit expensive].”

Navigating College

In Peru and during her last year of high school in Chicago, Alondra reflected on the academic paths she wanted to explore. “Sí, la verdad que me llama mucho lo que es administración y marketing. Es lo que pienso estudiar porque es la misma carrera que agarré en Perú [Yes, honestly, I’m really drawn to business administration and marketing. That’s what I plan to study because it’s the same major I chose in Peru],” she explained.

She mentioned that when she arrived in Chicago, one type of support she wished for was an easier way to get a job. “El tema de los documentos acá en Estados Unidos te limita mucho a poder trabajar, estaría bueno como tener un programa para ayudar a estudiantes recién llegados para trabajar [The issue of immigration documents here in the United States limits you a lot in being able to work. It would be nice to have a program to help newly arrived students get jobs].” A program like that could ease financial pressures and facilitate a smoother integration into life in the U.S.

“El tema de los documentos acá en Estados Unidos te limita mucho a poder trabajar, estaría bueno como tener un programa para ayudar a estudiantes recién llegados para trabajar [The issue of immigration documents here in the United States limits you a lot in being able to work. It would be nice to have a program to help newly arrived students get jobs].”

Alondra decided to enroll in a community college as a first step before transferring to a university. “Prácticamente lo que a mí me recomendaron fue primero entrar a un college antes de entrar a una universidad, porque sí, yo sé que ahí es full inglés [Basically, what they recommended to me was to first go to a college before entering a university because I know it’s all in English],” she says.

Alondra faced financial concerns when thinking about college. “Yo tenía mucho en mente el hecho de no poder pagarme los estudios [For a long time, I thought that I wouldn’t be able to afford my studies],” she shares. However, thanks to her school counselor’s guidance, she learned about available scholarships. She applied to several, eventually receiving the STAR Scholarship which has been fundamental in funding her education. “Es la que tengo ahora y es la que estoy aprovechando demasiado la verdad [It’s the one I have now, and honestly, I’m taking full advantage of it].”

Despite the difficulties, Alondra feels her efforts have been worthwhile. “No cambiaría nada por ahora, porque siento que, como estamos llevando las clases, me estoy yendo súper bien [I wouldn’t change anything for now because I feel like, the way we’re handling classes, I’m doing really well],” she shares.

“No cambiaría nada por ahora, porque siento que, como estamos llevando las clases, me estoy yendo súper bien [I wouldn’t change anything for now because I feel like, the way we’re handling classes, I’m doing really well].”

The Support That Helped Alondra

• Her greatest support has always been her family, especially her mom. “Mi mamá, mi mamá y mis tíos. Ellos me ayudaron muchísimo [My mom, my mom and my uncles. They helped me so much],” Alondra says. Her mother, who has been in Chicago for two years, was a crucial guide in adapting to her new life. “Ella ya sabía un poco más de cómo manejarse en Chicago antes de que yo llegara [She already knew a bit more about how to manage things in Chicago before I arrived].”
• The support she received during her transition was essential for her adaptation. “El profesor que me tocó nos ayuda bastante a interactuar con otras personas y hablar en inglés, aunque nos equivoquemos. Nos motiva a seguir persistiendo hasta lograrlo, y eso nos ayuda demasiado [The teacher I had helped us a lot to interact with others and speak in English, even if we made mistakes. They encouraged us to keep trying until we succeeded, and that helped us so much],” Alondra says, highlighting the importance of her teachers and the educational system in her academic development.
• One of Alondra’s biggest concerns was the cost of higher education in the United States. “Era una preocupación muy grande, el hecho de ver a mi mamá trabajando y pensar en que también tendría que cubrir los pagos de la universidad [It was a very big worry, seeing my mom working and thinking that she would also have to cover university payments],” she recalls. However, thanks to her school counselor’s guidance, Alondra applied for several scholarships and secured the STAR Scholarship, which now allows her to continue her studies. “Creo que con la ayuda de la beca es más que suficiente [I think with the scholarship’s help, it’s more than enough],” she says gratefully, emphasizing how this opportunity eases her family’s financial burden.

Alondra’s Hopes for the Field

• Alondra emphasizes the importance of having counselors and teachers actively involved in students’ progress. “El mayor apoyo que pueden tener los consejeros, los profesores con los estudiantes es el hecho de poder ayudarlos a simplemente enfocarse en qué es lo que quieren [The greatest support counselors and teachers can give students is helping them simply focus on what they want],” she shares. She has had mixed experiences with teachers, ranging from those who show little interest to those who become a source of inspiration. “Hay profesores que sí te quieren ver como que triunfando, como que es un logro también para ellos el hecho de poder verte llegar a la cima [There are teachers who genuinely want to see you succeed, as if your success is also an achievement for them],” she says.
• Alondra also stresses the importance of building students’ confidence, especially in an environment where language can be a barrier. Reflecting on her own experience of feeling embarrassed to ask questions, she says, “Mayormente los estudiantes hacen eso, quedarse con la duda por miedo a pasar vergüenza. Eso es algo que yo también en su momento lo pasé [Most students do that — they don’t ask questions because they’re afraid of being embarrassed. That’s something I also went through at one point].” However, she highlights how teachers who gave her the confidence to express herself made a significant difference in her learning. “El hecho de poder darte un poco más de confianza te inspira a poder desenvolverte mejor [Being given a bit more confidence inspires you to grow as a student],” she notes.