“My dad used to abuse my mother whenever I was little. So my mom fled the country to the United States for better opportunities for her and for me, but she didn’t tell me so when I came here I had to start over, learn a new language, and meet new friends. But it was hard at first because I didn’t have anybody to talk to, and when people talked to me I didn’t even know what they were saying. It was a struggle growing up because I didn’t really have anybody but my mother, even though I had been used to always having my family, and when I came here, I started being alone. But, since I spent most of my time alone, I learned to love playing instruments and acting because they would distract me and I grew a passion for them.”

senior Maria Pineda