Editor’s Note: This week, thousands of HISD seniors will receive their diplomas during graduation ceremonies across the district. Many of our students have overcome challenging circumstances during their educational journeys. We are sharing a few of their stories this week.
Maryury Santos-Cruz spoke no English when she arrived in the U.S. from Honduras at age 10. Eight years later, she is valedictorian of her class at Sterling Aviation High School.
She credits American television shows, nonstop reading, and the guidance of an effective middle-school ESL teacher with helping her overcome the language barrier.
“I was resilient. I never gave up,” she says. “I believed in myself even if others didn’t.”