Andrew’s Student Story

This story was originally written in Spanish.

Meet Andrew

Andrew, a recently arrived student from Ecuador, arrived during his junior year of high school and now lives in Chicago with his two younger brothers and parents. He attended his neighborhood high school on the West side of Chicago. Although his parents graduated from high school in Ecuador, Andrew will be the first in his family to attend college. He is about to begin his studies at a community college, marking the start of his journey toward a bright future.

Andrew’s Path to College

As the oldest in his family, Andrew feels a great sense of responsibility toward his two younger brothers. “Trato de ser el ejemplo para ellos [I try to be the example for them],” he says, highlighting his role in the family. Since arriving in the United States, he has greatly valued the opportunity to study and live in a different country. “Poder aprender todo, el poder estar aquí ya es algo bonito, algo que se agradece porque no todos tienen la oportunidad de poder venir aquí [Being able to learn everything, just being here is something nice, something to be grateful for because not everyone gets the chance to come here].”

The transition wasn’t easy, but Andrew found great support from his school’s staff. “Lo que más me ayudó en la transición fueron muchos (empleados) staff de la escuela. Siempre fueron muy cálidos conmigo. Me trataron de ayudar en lo que más podían [What helped me most in the transition were many of the school staff. They were always very warm with me. They tried to help me in every way they could].” His willingness to ask for help and the positive response from his teachers and counselors made it easier for him to adapt to a school system very different from what he was used to in Ecuador.

“Lo que más me ayudó en la transición fueron muchos (empleados) staff de la escuela. Siempre fueron muy cálidos conmigo. Me trataron de ayudar en lo que más podían [What helped me most in the transition were many of the school staff. They were always very warm with me. They tried to help me in every way they could].”

Andrew described his transition from school in Ecuador to the United States as a major life change. “Cuando yo llegué aquí, fue todo un cambio, literalmente a otro país. Allá las clases eran más simples, pero acá todo el sistema es muy diferente [When I got here, it was a complete change, literally to another country. Over there, classes were simpler, but here the whole system is very different],” he explained. “Acá hay cambios de salón en cada clase, y acabar es algo mucho más elaborado que toma más proceso al poder graduarse de la (secundaria) high school [Here, there are classroom changes for each subject, and graduating (from high school) is something much more elaborate, which takes a longer process].”

Andrew’s most challenging year was his junior year, his first year in the United States. “Ese fue el año que más me impactó porque comencé a aprender cómo es el estudio acá, hice nuevos amigos y todo eso [That was the year that impacted me the most because I started learning what studying here is like, I made new friends, and all that].” Although his senior year was more stable, the impact of that first year as a junior remains the most significant year for him.

“Ese fue el año que más me impactó porque comencé a aprender cómo es el estudio acá, hice nuevos amigos y todo eso [That was the year that impacted me the most because I started learning what studying here is like, I made new friends, and all that].”

Andrew also recalled how he discovered college credit classes: “Al principio no sabía nada de eso. Para mi senior year ya investigué más y pude ver qué opciones tenía. Tomé AP Computer Science y AP Español [At first, I didn’t know anything about that. By my senior year, I had researched more and saw what options I had. I took AP Computer Science and AP Spanish].” Andrew managed to adapt to his advanced classes during his last year of high school. Thanks to his dedication and effort, he successfully applied to college and continued his path, opening new opportunities for his future.

When planning his postsecondary education, Andrew faced financial challenges. “El no poder hacer el FAFSA fue algo que me limitó mucho, ya que es una ayuda que, por más pequeña o grande que sea, te da un poco más de alivio [Not being able to complete the FAFSA limited me a lot, since it’s a form of aid that, whether small or large, gives you some relief].” Unfortunately, he couldn’t apply for the Alternative Application either because he didn’t qualify. “Hay otras becas, que es la alternativa, pero eso es para personas que llevan más de tres años viviendo aquí en Illinois, entonces yo no pude hacerlo tampoco porque lamentablemente solo llevo dos años viviendo aquí [There are other scholarships, which is the Alternative (application), but that is for people who have lived here in Illinois for more than three years, so I couldn’t do that either because I’ve only lived here for two years].” Despite this, Andrew was accepted into Harold Washington College, where he will study computer science.

“Hay otras becas, que es la alternativa, pero eso es para personas que llevan más de tres años viviendo aquí en Illinois, entonces yo no pude hacerlo tampoco porque lamentablemente solo llevo dos años viviendo aquí [There are other scholarships, which is the Alternative (application), but that is for people who have lived here in Illinois for more than three years, so I couldn’t do that either because I’ve only lived here for two years].”

Even though he couldn’t receive federal aid, his teachers advised him to start at a community college and later transfer to a university. Andrew considered this to be the best pathway for him. Something affirming the choice”Pensé mucho en mis opciones. Lo monetario fue lo más complicado, porque no quería gastar tanto dinero en algo que no valiera la pena [I thought a lot about my options. The financial part was the hardest because I didn’t want to spend so much money on something that wasn’t worth it].”

After graduating from high school, Andrew spent time working as a waiter in a restaurant. He found his job through his uncle, who had already been living in the United States and connected him to places where he could work. “Ahorita estoy trabajando de mesero, y ahí también puedo practicar mi inglés y aprender más. Me gusta hablar con la gente, y eso me ayuda a seguir creciendo en ese ámbito [Right now, I’m working as a waiter, and there I can also practice my English and learn more. I like talking to people, and that helps me keep growing in that area].” Andrew hopes to continue working while attending college, though he recognizes it may be a challenge to balance work with his classes.

“Ahorita estoy trabajando de mesero, y ahí también puedo practicar mi inglés y aprender más. Me gusta hablar con la gente, y eso me ayuda a seguir creciendo en ese ámbito [Right now, I’m working as a waiter, and there I can also practice my English and learn more. I like talking to people, and that helps me keep growing in that area].”

Andrew hopes to keep working while studying in college, though he acknowledges that balancing the two might be difficult. He worries that the academic workload might be too much, and if it becomes overwhelming, he considers the possibility of leaving his job. “Me gustaría seguir trabajando cuando empiece el college (la universidad) para poder generar mis ahorros, pero hay que ver [I’d like to keep working when I start college to build up my savings, but we’ll see].”

When he’s not working, Andrew helps at home, as his parents work full-time jobs. “Me gradué en mayo y, desde entonces, he estado trabajando y cuidando a mis hermanos cuando mis papás están ocupados. Pasó tiempo en casa ayudando o salgo a trabajar [I graduated in May, and since then, I’ve been working and taking care of my brothers when my parents are busy. I spend time at home helping out or going out to work].”

“Me gradué en mayo y, desde entonces, he estado trabajando y cuidando a mis hermanos cuando mis papás están ocupados. Pasó tiempo en casa ayudando o salgo a trabajar [I graduated in May, and since then, I’ve been working and taking care of my brothers when my parents are busy. I spend time at home helping out or going out to work].”

Despite his responsibilities at home and work, Andrew also reflects on how fortunate he feels to be in the United States and to be able to study here. “Poder aprender y estar aquí ya es algo bonito, algo que se agradece porque no todos tienen la oportunidad de venir. Lo que más me gusta es poder estudiar y ver cómo es la vida en otro país [Being able to learn and be here is something nice, something to be grateful for because not everyone has the chance to come. What I like most is being able to study and see what life is like in another country].”

He also believes that his culture has helped him in school. “Vengo de un lugar diferente y tengo muchas más historias que contar. Creo que ser diferente, en lugar de afectarte, te puede ayudar. Aunque el idioma es una barrera al principio, ser de otro lugar te permite aportar algo único en las clases, y eso es algo positivo [I come from a different place, and I have many stories to tell. I think being different, instead of hurting you, can help you. Even though the language is a barrier at first, being from another place allows you to bring something unique to classes, and that’s something positive].”

“Vengo de un lugar diferente y tengo muchas más historias que contar. Creo que ser diferente, en lugar de afectarte, te puede ayudar. Aunque el idioma es una barrera al principio, ser de otro lugar te permite aportar algo único en las clases, y eso es algo positivo [I come from a different place, and I have many stories to tell. I think being different, instead of hurting you, can help you. Even though the language is a barrier at first, being from another place allows you to bring something unique to classes, and that’s something positive].”

What Worked for Andrew

• Andrew reflects on what he believes is fundamental for educators working with students in transition, especially those like him who arrive in a new country during high school. For him, patience is key. “Lo más importante que una persona que trabaja en la educación, en el momento de saber apoyar a alguien que está en una transición en un país nuevo, totalmente desconocido, es la paciencia, la verdad [The most important thing for someone working in education, when it comes to supporting someone who is transitioning to a new, completely unfamiliar country, is patience, truly].”
• Andrew believes that giving students time and space to adapt at the beginning is essential for their long-term success. “No ser tan estricto con esa persona porque eso es ponerle una presión de que además de que aprender tu clase tiene que aprender muchas más cosas nuevas. Pero una vez que esa persona ya está acostumbrada y esté mucho más familiarizada con el entorno de las clases, yo creo que esa persona, luego ya, cuando se acostumbre puede seguir normalmente con sus clases. Así fue en mi caso [Not being too strict with that person because that puts pressure on them — on top of learning your class, they also have to learn many new things. But once that person is more familiar with the class environment, I think they can then continue normally with their studies. That’s how it was for me].”

Andrew’s Hope for the Field

Andrew emphasizes that students not only need to learn class content but also adapt to everything around them: the school environment, the hallways, the rules, and the culture. “El poder entender que esa persona está aprendiendo algo que es nuevo para él. Es un nuevo mundo, nuevo idioma, puede venir de otro lado, todo eso [Understanding that this person is learning something new to them, It’s a new world, a new language, they might come from another place, all of that],” Andrew explains. “Yo creo que en el momento de tener paciencia y saber que esa persona no va a aprender al mismo ritmo de las demás personas porque no solo está aprendiendo tu clase, sino también está aprendiendo todo lo demás [I think being patient and knowing that this person won’t learn at the same pace as others because they’re not only learning your class, but also learning everything else around them].”