In a recent New York Times article about First Generation College Students, an often overlooked perspective on CHALLENGE and PRIVILEGE was shared. Today everyone wrote a Word-Association Journal on the two words "challenge" and "privilege." After reading the article, do you see any connections to your own life and the lives of the students mentioned in the article? In what ways are you challenged and privileged? Respond with a blog comment answering the two thought questions above. |
"We live in cities you'll never see on screen...not very pretty, but we sure know how to run things." #team (Lorde)
53 Comments
Bruce "BeeJayy2Saucy" Kenerson
4/8/2015 05:04:01 am
I am privileged because I was given things that mad me successful.
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Addie Gonzalez
4/8/2015 05:05:28 am
After reading the article I do see connections to my life. One connection is the feeling of guilt when taking advantages of the resources offered to me. I have had to do things on my own for so long now that I feel weird when someone wants to help me. Slowly, I have been more open to help. However, sometimes doubt creeps in. I doubt myself. I doubt that I am worthy of being helped. Why me? I think it is unfair that others who are in my same situation are not being helped too. What makes me special? Another connection I found was that as a first-generation college student, I feel out of place. I do not have all the knowledge passed on from a parent that a student with parents that went to college have. I agreed with the part in the article that described the parent weekends hosted by colleges. I know that my parents do not have the time or money to drive to Davidson to see me for those weekends. Thus, I will only be reminded of how much that sucks and how that makes me different. I will never be as privileged as some people, but my challenges have shaped me into who I am and I could not be more thankful.
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Brendan Rhodes
4/8/2015 05:06:20 am
I am challenged because of the fact that none of my parental figures have been to college, nor do they really have any advice to give me. In that way, I am like the students in the article. My parents can't afford to send me to a prestigious college (not that I expect it from them), so it makes working for it a bit more difficult. I AM privileged to be in the financial situation that I am now though. My Step-dad's job in the Army helped my family out of poverty.
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kaitlyn Oquinn
4/8/2015 05:07:47 am
I am challenged because of the obstacles I let stand in front of me. I am privileged because I have challenges in front of me.
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Maribel Morales
4/8/2015 05:07:49 am
Reading the article it does have some comparison to my life knowing how I am going to be the first person in my family to go to a university. It seems like it would be a pretty scary experience knowing I'll be on my own and feel like I wouldn't be able to fit with people there knowing their family could afford it without any help from financial aid when I'm looking for ways for me to go to the university I want to go. Ways that I'm challenged is everyday in life and getting privileges is kind of hard to get from. My only privileges is being able to go to the university and from the challenges I got in school is the outcome of getting this privilege.
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Danni
4/8/2015 05:13:16 am
I am not a first generation student. I am not rich or poor. I know the struggles of money issues. To me the only connections i see is the struggles of money issues and the fear of not getting in to college. It's funny because I never really think about the cost of it and that is because my Dad is a retired veteran and because of that there is a possibility of my getting into college for free. I know it's bad to only rely on that but if it does happen I would be truly blessed. I do need to start thinking about applying for scholarships. I privileged in many ways, at school I given many opportunities to help me get into college. For examples standardized test preps and the avid program etc. The only thing challenging to me is the Act and the Sat. I'm a really bad test taker and for some reason I get really nervous about taking them. I afraid I won't get in to college because of it.
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Jessica Smith
4/8/2015 10:58:01 am
I see some connections to my life throughout the different people in the article, I will be the first to go to a four year college in my family and its just my mom and I. I am challenged because I try new things but their are obstacles in my life that makes times hard but I still try and I am determined to succeed. I am privileged because I have a family that loves and supports me and even though I cant have the fancy things that every one wants, I feel that I don't need those things because I have people and family who like me for who I am.
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Meashaa
4/9/2015 12:07:58 am
After reading that article I seen plenty of connections from my own life. I will not be the first one in my family to graduate or anything but I will be the first one in my family to actually go with my plan and not give up. I'm challenged in many ways such as giving up easily when obstacles are getting in my way. I'm privileged because I have people that really care for me and they are very supportive. I'm also privileged to have amazing teachers that believe in me and I know that they will never give up on me.
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JamJam
4/9/2015 12:57:10 am
I am challenged because I have a hard working mother that loves and supports me by any means necessary. I am challenged because set high expectations for myself knowing that if I give it my all those expectations will get accomplished
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Dylan Barreras
4/9/2015 01:14:22 am
i am challenged by other people buy them telling me that I am nit good enough but in reality I am and everyone is good enough. I challenge myself by attempting to chase dreams that I want to accomplish by become the first person to get a scholar ship to play a sport. I am privileged because i have the right motivation by my parents, peers, and teachers.
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They in Love With Secoco
4/9/2015 01:21:50 am
No, i'm not the first to go to college. No, i'm not the first to graduate. No, i'm not rich. No, i'm not poor. I am the first to be proactive and go for what I want without wavering. The whole idea of me going to college scares myself but scares my mother more. I am the last one to head off away from the house. The thought of that breaks her heart. I guess one of my challenges would be the fact that I do not like asking for help when I need it. Maybe i'll get over it. Maybe I won't. My privilege list can go on and on. I am so privileged to have a family(including AVID) that accepts me with open arms. I am privileged that I have a higher power that I can confide in when I need to. I am privileged to have this beautiful brain inside of me. I am privileged to be me.
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Edgar Terrones
4/9/2015 01:49:32 am
I did see some connections when I was reading the article. I am going to be first generation college student and my parents are not very wealthy. This is a challenge for me but I have not let that get in the way of me doing in good in school. I use that to help me do better in school. Thinking about that makes me want to be successful and show people that it doesn't matter where you come from, the only thing that matters is if you're willing to do what you have to. I am privileged because my parents support me and do what they can to help me. They have always been there for me and I am grateful for that.
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Josue M
4/9/2015 01:50:50 am
After reading the article, I will be the third in my family to attend to college and a military career. I am well aware of the struggles people face everyday and how it reflects one another but its not an excuse to push your limitations and surpass your predecessors. Going out into the world on my own doesn't frighten me one bit, I know ill be successful and i'll have the full support of my family and true friends on this wildly disciplined adventure. I challenge myself everyday physically and mentally so I can remind myself that anything is possible if you just set your mind towards your goal. Good luck Class of 2015 I pray for the best.
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Jarvis Carden
4/9/2015 01:55:15 am
I am challenged because my parents cannot afford to pay for me to go to college let alone a prestigious Ivy league college. I am privileged because I am able to go to college for free and I am able to go to college at an early age and get a head start and make enough money to be able to pay for my kids to go to college when I have them.
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Josephina
4/9/2015 02:10:47 am
After reading this article, I don't think I can relate. I was never a poor student who had to hide it, in fact kind of the opposite. I am supposedly upper middle class. There has only been one thing that I had to hide from my peers, and eventually I opened up and let out that I struggled for many years long after I had recovered. Life for me at that time was hard, and without support beams, people crumble to the floor just like a building. With that challenge in my life, I was beyond privileged to go to one of the best schools in New York state. My old school's athletics teams have gone to states and nationals and won. Education wise, the college readiness is above a 50, and the teachers were fantastic. I was also privileged to move down to Southern Lee. Here, I have learned about different cultures and I have opened my views a little bit about the world. I am grateful for all of the things in my life and I feel like I have deserved them because of the challenges I have whether it's how I am going to pay for college or just simple bad day challenges.
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Taylor j
4/9/2015 02:27:27 am
I do see connections from that article that imply to me. I will not be the first one to graduate but I will be the second one. I am the first one to graduate out of all the kids. I was challenged with multiple things in my life. I was a going to start a new school as well as the other eighth graders. The first challenge would have to be is trying to make friends being and under-classman and new to the city. The second challenge was moving and leaving my friends behind. I had to do that twice. The third challenge was making the right friend. I was faced with a friend who didn’t encourage me in the right ways. I know have had the privilege to make better friends who will benefit me and help me grow as a person. My new friend has has encouraged me to do well, because of her I am now on the right track again. I was privileged with a second chance.
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Carlos
4/9/2015 02:34:19 am
I have a lot in common with the students because I am also a first generation child who will go to college. My family isn't necessarily poor or rich but we have certainly gone through a multitude of money issues. Even though I am very privileged and my parents do the best to give me as many opportunities as possible I face challenges on a daily basis. The main one being school. I plan to be the first child in my family to go to university and I will not let anything stand in my way. I may not be the best student. I may need a lot of improvement but I am certainly motivated and nothing is going to destroy that motivation.
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Rebecca Wilkins
4/9/2015 02:37:05 am
I do see some connections in my life, because I will be the first grandchild to go to a four year university on both sides of my family. Knowing where I want to go has challenged me to stay focus on my dreams and not lose faith in following them. I am privileged enough to have so many people supporting me and encouraging me to always stay true to myself, follow my heart and one day God will provide me with all the answers I need.
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Jessica Carroll
4/9/2015 02:37:33 am
Throughout life I have met many challenges, and I still do. I know the feeling of rejection, worthlessness, being told I can't achieve my dreams, not having money, being looked down upon, and so much more. I guess I can call all these things challenges but in reality they are mere stepping stones that have led to where I am now. Where am I now? I guess I'm not so sure. I still have many factors that hold me back from where I want to go and what I want to do. I've always assumed that I was going to college. My parents did and their parents did. So why shouldn't I follow in their example? Well, there are many reasons. The main one would be money. True, you can get scholarships or students grants but not all colleges offer that. The second reason is that my parents don't encourage me to go to college. They both attended but neither of them are in a field of work that they have a degree in. So what was the point? I guess there really was none. But on the other hand, I have been given the privilege to think about the pros and cons of attending college. I have decided I want to go. Money might be an issue now but if I work hard and save, then I'm sure I can go to college. I have the privilege of having a family who questions my actions and will eventually support my decisions, even if they still don't like them. I have the the privilege of attending school, having great teachers, and wonderful friends. And I wouldn't trade that for anything. Although I have faced many challenges, my privileges certainly outweigh them. I am very lucky to have so many privileges in my life and I will make sure not to ever take them for granted.
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Maggie Yow
4/9/2015 04:30:21 am
Although both my parents went to college and I have lived a very privileged life, I have learned from my family the importance of hard work. My parents are both first generation college students who overcame many challenges to become who they are today. My entire family has worked in a field that requires people skills, so I constantly strive to improve my relationships. Regardless of a college education, the importance of hard work and challenging myself has been stressed to me.
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Ashley Dominguillo
4/9/2015 04:55:27 am
Yes, I do see a connection between the article and my life. I have faced struggles, "challenges" and I know I will continue to go through challenges in the future. I am challenged by my path to college and life. I am privileged in how far I have come.
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Frank
4/10/2015 03:02:51 am
No, my life is not very challenging. I have two parents that love and would do anything for me. I have a house, a car and am one hundred percent healthy. They are a lot of things I am privileged with. I'm ashamed to say but at times I take them for granted. I don't have the best life but I'm blessed in many ways. Even if I have obstacles that other people do not face. Honestly, the biggest challenge is trying to get into college and continue schooling.
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KT
4/12/2015 04:26:05 am
Life is as meaningful as you convince yourself it is. You can accept your privileges and your challenges and make your life into everything you've wanted. I, personally, am beyond privileged. I've been given so many opportunities to be who I want and learn new things to form me into who I want to be. Challenges and privileges have a way of forming you into who you want and need to be. And for that, I am grateful.
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Allie Sharpe
4/12/2015 10:05:05 am
After reading the article, I see tiny similarities with myself. Although I will not be the first in my family to graduate from a four year college, my family does show me the importance of being determined and hard work. Though my life, I had to grow up quickly, which forced me to figure out things for myself. As a connection to the article, I feel strange when I take advantage of things meant to help me. When someone, or something, tries to help me do something, I feel as if I don't deserve it as much as other people; getting help doesn't feel right. I connect to the pressure of feeling as if you do not belong or should be here. As the first generation college students feel like an outsider, but I also feel that way. In school, I have my own, tiny, group of friends. "Quality over quantity." These past few days, I have reflected on myself a lot. I do sometimes feel like I do not belong. I feel as if I was not on this planet it wouldn't matter, but I am wrong. I have made a difference in someones life, even if it was as simple as helping someone through a tough time. Sometimes I also feel like I have people always wanting to see me fail, but I would say that having that is a privilege. I will always have something behind me to keep me going; I want to prove those people wrong. I want to see them fail. Having people who believe in me is my challenge (MY AVID FAMILY) I have to make these people proud. I have to show them that they chose the right person to believe in. Many people have ideas of who I am, good or bad. Those people don't matter. I am who I am and I love who I am and where I am going. Me, myself, and I are the only people who matter in my future at the moment and that is both a challenge and a privilege.
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Tara
4/12/2015 10:21:28 pm
I do see a connection from the article because I am challenged everyday and work hard to improve in any way. Challenges have come before me and I know I will have them for the rest of my life. I am challenged to get into college and being successful. I am privileged for how far I have come in the process of being successful. I will not be the first to graduate from a 4 year college but my family does show me the importance of wanting to be successful.
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ricky
4/12/2015 10:23:56 pm
I am challenged and privileged everyday. I am challenged by my family, teachers and by who I want to be. I am privileged because I know what it takes to get the things you want to get in life. In order for me to be privileged I must be challenged, because it is a privileged to be challenged by the people around me. It helps me grow as a person and who I want to be.
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Makaio (Diana)
4/13/2015 12:03:59 am
I am challenged because I stand in my own way with procrastination and bored pessimism. I am privileged because I have people who are willing to help me get past myself.
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Kelly Thomas
4/13/2015 12:13:49 am
I feel challenged and privileged everyday. Some days I take advantage of those things but then I realize that I need to stop myself. I'm grateful for my family, friends and teachers that challenge me and show the privileges that are given to me. Privileges are precious and I feel as if you challenge yourself you receive those privileges. Knowing that I have these privileges it makes me feel blessed and helps me grow into the person that I was meant to be.
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Cristian
4/13/2015 01:17:15 am
After reading the article, i really did see connections to my life that these students had experienced. I am going to be a first-generation college student and to graduate with a degree. It kind of is a phrase i don't like telling the whole world, but it also shows some of the obstacles you have overcome and the hard work you've had to put through to get looked at by colleges. And with that hard work you can earn privileges, through programs and scholarships that can get you well past college.
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Briana
4/13/2015 01:56:24 am
I am challenged to do the impossible, I have so many privileges. As walking across a stage and graduating in June.I never thought i would make it. It was a journey most definitely but the journey is almost complete. I had a privilege to actually go to a public school all 12 years of school. I have had ups and downs. But in the article, i can't relate to that well. I have always had what i needed, and got most thing's i wanted. I know with life there comes struggles and things you may have to sacrifice to just make it. I never been a weak person, and i honestly never will be. I have seen my parents make things happen for me just so i can have the best, so it's only right i make sure they good also, all i want is to make my parents happy. I don't think that's to much right?
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morris
4/13/2015 02:17:41 am
i am a challenge because i accept all the difficult things in life. i am a privilege because i have the tools to be successful.
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Hannah Langdon
4/13/2015 03:14:02 am
I believe school is a challenge and a privilege for me. They don't have to teach us this stuff but they do any way so we can get ahead in life. We would all be a bunch of nobodies without atleast some school. We take school for granted and we don't take it seriously. We all should take it seriously because in reality, we wouldn't be anywhere without it. School is also a challenge because it challenges our mind set and teaches us things that are hard to understand at first.
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Maddie T
4/13/2015 04:35:59 am
After reading this article, I see some similarities to my life. I loved how the one boy was challenging himself! He ended up going to Brown University and he loved it! He was a first generation college student, and look where he is now. He has many many privileges because how hard he challenged himself!
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Barbara Ortiz
4/14/2015 03:48:06 am
I am privileged because life really has hit me with a lot of challenges and things I had to face in order to be where I am today. I see myself as a privileged person because everything I have didn't come free or easy it wasn't just handed to me I had to work for it and go through hard times to get it.
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Monte' Mclean
4/14/2015 04:47:54 am
Yes, I have faced a lot of challenges in my life that has made thing's more difficult for me but I am glad that I have faced a lot of thing's that have made me stronger as a person. I am privileged to be able to over come everything that I have been faced with. I am privileged to say that I am one of many people to say I will never give up or give in.
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Madison Sharpe
4/14/2015 02:22:20 pm
I see many similarities between the people in the article and my own life. Although I may not be the first in my family to go to a 4 year university and although I'm not poor, I do see my challenges and privileges laid out in front of me. The challenges I have in my life is paying for my education with the help of grants, loans, and scholarships. I have to bust my butt in college, because I am the one paying for it. I do have many privileges however. I am able to have a loving home in which I am living while I go to college, seeing as student housing is pretty expensive. I've decided to go to a community college for the first two years, because of the money situation, but I don't think that it'll differ anything in my education. I'm blessed and I'm thankful for the challenges and the privileges in my life.
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Hayden
4/15/2015 01:16:02 am
I am challenged by many obstacles in life. That's just life you have to overcome those obstacles or you will go no where. There are many similarities in the articles. We are challenged and privileged everyday whether we realize it or not. My parents both went to college so i will not be the first in my family to go there. I feel after college i will go on to do better things and make my parents proud.
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Chris Sheffield
4/15/2015 02:00:05 am
I am challenged in life with a lot of obstacles such as completing high school going to college and living my life in a positive the best way possible. But i am also privilege to have these obstacles in my life because people over seas and in different ares do not have the same opportunities as me, such as going to school and not worrying about what they wanna do in life. Another way i am privilege is by having the tools to complete them to
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Makayla McCoy
4/15/2015 03:59:20 am
I often feel challenged I'm at a good place in life and the little things start to turn in to big problems that could possibly hold be back from great opportunities in my future. I think I am privileged because I have a lot of things that a lot of people don't have like being intelligence, support and so much more. Despite my challenges I feel very fortunate and privilege.
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Julian
4/15/2015 04:21:04 am
I am privileged to still be here and how far i have gotten. I am privileged to be strong enough to face any challenges placed before me. I am challenged by my future, i am determined to be successful, yet i have no idea what awaits me, and what challenges i have yet to face.
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Kevin Martinez
4/15/2015 04:31:50 am
I am challenged because i have people who think i will never get anywhere in life. I am Privileged because i have people who push me to be better and to prove those people wrong.
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Jose N.
4/15/2015 07:51:35 am
I been challenge in my life a lot of time but never really got why was I challenge so much when I was a kid. Now I'm grown and I understand that every challenge will have a reward at the end and that's how you get privileges later on in your life.
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Carissa
4/16/2015 12:15:10 am
I am challenged because I look at the problems and obstacles that I face and think that I cannot surpass them. I am privileged because I know who I am and what I am capable of doing.
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Matt M
4/16/2015 12:22:13 am
I am challenged every day, with life in general. The obstacles that i face in life are challenges. I am privileged to have the strength to get over those challenges and keep moving forward.
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Aaron Johnson
4/16/2015 01:44:15 am
I have been challenged with things in my life. I lost my father 12-24-04 I turned into a thing to motivate me to do good things such as be the first to graduate from high school.
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kourtney e.
4/16/2015 01:45:20 am
II see some connections. My father never went to college and that held him back from getting the good paying jobs.Graduation is the hardest challenge but the biggest privilege. You have to take certain courses and pass them. Privilege of graduating is you moving on to your adult life. You are expected to make adult decisions and be treated like an adult. Other challenges are staying out of trouble to graduate. One mistake can mess your whole life up.
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Kiara Quick
4/21/2015 06:19:28 am
I'm very privileged because I've faced a lot of challenges and instead of giving up I've seen myself here lately trying my hardest to overcome them. I'll be a first generation college student if I just continue to keep my head up , this a very big challenge because sometimes I don't take things serious and I just tend to laugh it off.
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Cameron McIver
4/22/2015 02:00:40 am
I have had many challenges in life. Starting elementary school was a challenge. Its also a privilege as well. There is always a reward at the end. At the end of elementary school the reward was going to middle school. Even now in high school the challenges are the teachers, the work, and the social status. The reward is graduating. Graduation is also a privilege and an honor.
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abraham nunez
4/23/2015 03:27:20 am
there are a lot challenges in life. some thing will make me a better people and some are not. every day that I wake up. I have to fight for everything that I want in life. I all so know that the life I live is a privilege. I know that my life is not free. I have to fight. for my family and the people that believe in me. to show that I can. to push my way throw. and to break down the walls. I know that life is not easy. I can say that I want something in life. Now I have to go out there and get it.
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Marlon Martinez
4/27/2015 02:28:39 am
I've been challenge a lot in life. I struggle a lot in life when i was little i almost fell 4th grade i had family problems, but that made me even into a stronger person. I've learn to always be strong no one said life was going to be easy. Life is suppose to be a challenge i changed a lot ever since i started high school. I started working hard in school i always passed my classes and didn't struggle much as a kid. I'm glad i've changed a lot.
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Javier Tello
4/27/2015 02:42:43 am
After reading this article, I see some connections to my life throughout the different people in the article. I will not be the first one going to college in my family. I am challenged by my future, i am determined to be successful, yet i have no idea what awaits me, and what challenges i have yet to face. I am Privileged because i have people who push me to be better , have a better future and to prove those people wrong.
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Ashley Ortega
5/1/2015 04:12:13 am
I am very privileged because I have people who loves me and that I'm able to graduate and see many things that some people aren't able to get to see. I go through different all the time and its going to make me better.
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May 2015
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