from pandemic-related school closures, pushing them further behind academically and expanding the opportunity gap.
Unlike most of my college peers, I come from a low-income household. Growing up, many of my public school teachers predicted I would never graduate from high school, let alone college. Sadly, many of my teachers placed their faith in studies and statistics instead of me. Despite such limitations, my mom believed that a good education could help us overcome any obstacle. So, instead of sending us to the failing public schools we were zoned for, my mother opted for magnet schools. I started to fall behind due to in-home factors, bullying, and a lack of resources. I was sent to an alternative school to catch up.
Unlike many of the politicians voted into office, I have experienced poverty firsthand. And unlike many politicians, my family did not have the means to send me to the private school that worked for me. I didn’t even start seriously considering college as an option until I went to Victory Christian.