Help Me Stay In School
Donation protected
Hello everyone!
My name is Jesus Bautista. I am from Easley, South Carolina. I came to this country, which I now call home, when I was 9 years old and I have been living in Easley ever since. Staring out living here as immigrant, with a family of 5 and not much later 6, and adjusting to a different life style and new language was very difficult but also very rewarding. My family started out really poor. We lived in the ghetto living paycheck by paycheck. I could not even afford a bookbag. I had to use Wal-Mart bags to put my school supplies in for the remainder of my fourth grade year and for most of my fifth grade year until my teachers pitched in to buy me a brand new bookbag. It was very difficult but we strived to make our lives better.
Fastforward 7 years later to my senior year of high school when all of my friends were getting ready to leave for college the harsh reality finally came to me. I could not afford college. I graduated with honors and was in the top 25 percentile of my class but my immigration status prevented me from receiving any state tuition or any federal aid. Our family was still living from paycheck to paycheck so I had to pay everything on my own.
I was 17 when I graduated high school and started working to save money to eventually pay for tuition. I did what I could. I was determined to one day graduate from college and be the first to do so in my family. If paying for full tuition wasn't enough I came to realize that I would also have to pay for out-of-state tuition since I am considered an international student, even though I have been living here since I was 9 and I am here lawfully.
Last year for college I payed around $12,000 out of my pocket. For the first semester I had 15 hours of school, a full time member of the Clemson University Marching Band and worked 20 hours a week. Second semester I was also enrolled in 15 hours of school, full time Clemson Basketball Pep band member and worked 30 hours a week. I finished on the Dean's list for the academic year. I am currently attending Tri-County Technical college and I am planning to finish at Clemson for a bachelors in Mechanical Engineering.
Unfortunately, my savings are drained and I need your help. Managing school, work and extracurricular activities is very stressful. For this year of college I am giving up extracurricular activities,including band, to get more hours of work in order to be able to afford school.
I am determined to achieve my American Dream. To become a mechanical engineer and contribute to society. It has been very tough financially and any help would be a huge blessing. Your investement for my future will not go to waste.
I will succeed.
My name is Jesus Bautista. I am from Easley, South Carolina. I came to this country, which I now call home, when I was 9 years old and I have been living in Easley ever since. Staring out living here as immigrant, with a family of 5 and not much later 6, and adjusting to a different life style and new language was very difficult but also very rewarding. My family started out really poor. We lived in the ghetto living paycheck by paycheck. I could not even afford a bookbag. I had to use Wal-Mart bags to put my school supplies in for the remainder of my fourth grade year and for most of my fifth grade year until my teachers pitched in to buy me a brand new bookbag. It was very difficult but we strived to make our lives better.
Fastforward 7 years later to my senior year of high school when all of my friends were getting ready to leave for college the harsh reality finally came to me. I could not afford college. I graduated with honors and was in the top 25 percentile of my class but my immigration status prevented me from receiving any state tuition or any federal aid. Our family was still living from paycheck to paycheck so I had to pay everything on my own.
I was 17 when I graduated high school and started working to save money to eventually pay for tuition. I did what I could. I was determined to one day graduate from college and be the first to do so in my family. If paying for full tuition wasn't enough I came to realize that I would also have to pay for out-of-state tuition since I am considered an international student, even though I have been living here since I was 9 and I am here lawfully.
Last year for college I payed around $12,000 out of my pocket. For the first semester I had 15 hours of school, a full time member of the Clemson University Marching Band and worked 20 hours a week. Second semester I was also enrolled in 15 hours of school, full time Clemson Basketball Pep band member and worked 30 hours a week. I finished on the Dean's list for the academic year. I am currently attending Tri-County Technical college and I am planning to finish at Clemson for a bachelors in Mechanical Engineering.
Unfortunately, my savings are drained and I need your help. Managing school, work and extracurricular activities is very stressful. For this year of college I am giving up extracurricular activities,including band, to get more hours of work in order to be able to afford school.
I am determined to achieve my American Dream. To become a mechanical engineer and contribute to society. It has been very tough financially and any help would be a huge blessing. Your investement for my future will not go to waste.
I will succeed.
Organizer
Jesus Bautista
Organizer
Easley, SC
