2026 – Lizzy Santander Ruiz – viewmont high school HS

My Language

My story of resilience began here a year and a couple of months ago. The situation that led my family and me to move to the United States was personal. The environment we were in was no longer the best, and we were looking for a place that could give us peace and security, and of course, the most obvious thing, a better future and education. And that’s where I’ll begin. When I arrived in this country, my English was the most basic in the world, knowing only the numbers from one to two, if I was lucky, and a few basic words. That’s how I survived the summer I arrived in this country with my family. I was the translator since I knew a little more, but my current level of English is vastly different from what it was a year ago, and I owe that to the people who were patient with me and helped me. At school, I felt completely lost at first, but thanks to my teachers, to whom I also owe so much, I managed to get ahead despite not knowing the language. I gave my best, and the teachers noticed, which encouraged them to treat me more like a normal student and not so much like a non-speaker. I learned quickly, which made everything easier each time, but I certainly wouldn’t be the person I am today without the people who helped me, the people who were there for me, taught me, and were patient with me. My English learning was easy because I put in the effort, and the people around me helped me, but it won’t be the same for everyone. However, if we all had the same luck to have people like the ones I had, we could all undoubtedly be just as good or better than me and make a greater contribution to this country.