Author Archives: ourcolleges_admin

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 isContinue reading “Student Story: Gabriel Stewart”

Idalia is a tenth-grade student at East Valley High School with big dreams of working in healthcare. She hopes to study ultrasound technology and eventually become a nurse-midwife. Coming from a Mexican family, she has seen firsthand how immigration challenges and financial stress affect families, even when parents have worked hard to get their documentsContinue reading “Student Story: Idalia Cruz”

My name is Clara, and I’m a freshman at Bothell high school. I immigrated to the United States with my family in 2018, and I was born in Saudi Arabia. I’m Muslim, I love acting, and I absolutely adore cats—I even have one as a pet. I’m still early in my educational journey, but IContinue reading “Student Story: Clara Elhajj”

I’m 35 years old, a mom of two, and an immigrant from Colombia. My husband and I have been together for seventeen years. We came to the United States seven years ago, hoping to build a safer, more stable life for our family. Back in Colombia, I studied psychology. I wasn’t able to finish myContinue reading “Student Story: Diana Aguirre”

I’ve always wanted to be a kindergarten teacher. I love working with children, and I believe teachers are some of the most important people in society because they shape the youngest and most impressionable minds. I know I could be a good fit for that role. It’s my passion. But pursuing that passion hasn’t beenContinue reading “Student Story: Avery Shake”

At 20 years old, I am pursuing my degree as a legal assistant at Yakima Valley College, with the goal of interning at a law firm and eventually building my career in Seattle. Community college has been a strong first step for me—it’s close to home, affordable compared to other options, and it allowed meContinue reading “Student Story: Mariela Leyva”

I moved to Everett, Washington, around six years ago. I’m a ninth grader at Everett High School, and when I’m not doing schoolwork, I like playing sports and listening to music. After high school, I want to keep going with my education and hopefully go into engineering or technology. Higher education feels like a bigContinue reading “Student Story: Katherine Rodriguez”

David is a high school student at East Valley High School in Spokane who hopes to become a lawyer one day. He comes from a Guatemalan family, and like many students, he worries about what comes after graduation. Right now, starting college feels uncertain—not because of a lack of motivation, but because of money. PayingContinue reading “Student Story: David Lima”

After arriving in the U.S. from Venezuela, Scarlett enrolled at Everett Community College hoping to build a stable future for herself and her family. She started, paused, and returned to school while balancing life as a mother of two, learning along the way how complex the system can be without clear guidance. What kept herContinue reading “Student Story: Scarlett”