Graduation: I love this day!

I love graduation. When I see each of my ESL students up on stage, I think of the high price of their diplomas. For these students, the U.S. means opportunity, but it also means leaving behind all of the best things in their lives to face incredibly difficult challenges. I am so glad God has placed me in a place where I can watch students grow and change over four years and that I can play a part in that change.

I just had to put this in - I have no sense of how tall I really am.

My boys. The three in jackets and ties are the grads.

These are the four Lopezes. I had the privilege of teaching them all - the three on the right have all graduated - the first three in their family to graduate from h.s. Fransisco, second from the left, just graduated from college and has an IT job. We had to work with the parents, but they finally agreed to let Maria go to the community college, where she picked up her 3rd language. She is transferring to DePaul this fall and is pursuing a degree in International Business. Jose' , on the right, is the newest grad and he wants to be an ESL and Spanish teacher. He turned down a soccer scholarship to a school because they did not have an education program. Jesus, on the far left is a sophomore and I expect more great things from him. I tell you all of this because I am so overwhelmed that I get to be a part of it. It is a part of my life that most of you blog readers do not get to see. I just hope that as I am introducing them to the possibilities in life that they see Jesus in me, too, because he will make the REAL difference.