At Yakima Valley College, I’m studying computer science with a dream of creating technology that helps people—especially my sister, who is legally blind. She motivates me every day. I want to build tools that make her life, and the lives of others, a little easier.
But even at community college, the cost of education is intimidating. My very first math class cost nearly $1,000, and my family had to pay out of pocket. Financial aid helps, but if I fail a class, it won’t cover it again—and that creates enormous pressure. I know many other students who face even bigger financial struggles than I do. For them, tuition is often the barrier that keeps them from ever starting college.
Free community and technical college would remove that barrier. It would open the door for more students to pursue their passions, discover careers, and contribute back to society. For students like me, it would mean focusing on learning—not worrying about how to pay for the next class.
I’ve also realized how important support services are, from scholarships to counseling. Too often, students don’t know what’s available until they stumble across it. Making those resources more visible—and expanding them to include things like mental health support and work opportunities for all students, regardless of documentation—would help us not just enroll in college, but succeed and thrive.
Education has already changed my life. With free college, it could change the lives of thousands more students across Washington.