Rene"There are many things in the world [that] I am.”


Rene will be the first in his family to graduate from high school.

Rene’s family is from Mexico; his father and mother moved to the United States when they were teenagers. Neither of his parents received a high school education. His father has worked in a factory all his life and his mother had difficulty finding a job because of her limited English proficiency. Both of his older brothers dropped out of high school, and they remind him daily of all of the reasons why he needs to succeed.

Rene currently works part-time at a local pizza place to help support his family and pay for household bills. Although he has not yet identified what he will major in when he enrolls in college, Rene’s love of technology will likely guide his choice of major and his career. Tinkering with computers is one of his favorite hobbies, and outside of school and work, it occupies a large portion of his free time. He has also shown an interest in graphic design, which he emphatically asserts “would be a cool job.”

He is an active participant in EIF Dallas and frequently accesses his Higher Education Advisor for information about colleges and the college application process. Rene also participates in Young Life, wrestling, tennis and jazz band. He has already applied to the University of Texas at Arlington and to the University of Texas at Dallas and is anxiously awaiting his first acceptance letter.