Being disciplined has changed my life in ways most Americans would never understand. My name is Julgard Nainy Nabe, and I am a senior at Newburgh Free Academy. I am originally from Guinea, West Africa, and I speak French, English, and Spanish as well as Mandingo, Sosso Koniangui, and Djakhanko. After my father passed away in 2020 from COVID-19, my family faced many hardships, including political violence targeted at my ethnic group, a form of discrimination. My mother and siblings remain in Guinea, where life has been extremely difficult. I made the decision to leave Guinea and come to America to pursue a better future for my family and myself. I traveled alone by boat to Mexico, then entered the United States in 2022. I settled in New Windsor, New York thanks to the Cayuga Center, which is a foster care institution based in New York City that connected me to this community. Then I began school here. At the end of my sophomore year, I noticed that in order to get the education I wanted, I needed to become a serious and disciplined person. I started my sophomore year as a normal student. In December of that year, I had to change a house, family, and school because I turned 18 and aged out of the Cayuga Center program. I was set to begin a new program in New York City, but thanks to some of my Newburgh school teachers, one of them brought me to her home, and I was able to stay. People may have only one mother, but so many teachers helped me that I can say I have many mother figures. My primary mother figure and others look out for me because they see my hard work and discipline . I have struggled financially since I left my family. I did not only want to help myself, but also my mother and siblings. I met with my school counselor and told her I needed a school working permit to get a job. She told me, “I’ll give it to you, but you have to have good grades first.” The next day, I went again to meet her. I was struggling with English, but I wanted to take more classes. She said, “I will not have a lunch period anymore, and I would need to take night school.” She added three other classes to my schedule. In January, I started school with a new schedule from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. It was arduous in the beginning, but I have overcome harder situations than that, like stowing away on a boat, hiding for a month, and sometimes going days without food. I have lived only with water and endless nausea and vomiting due to the smell of the sea. I crossed Mexico at the border with the fear of being beheaded by bandits. I was a victim between life and death if I did not give over my bag that had little money along with my passport. I spent three months in a shelter with no freedom or a phone to communicate with my parents. We were woken up every day at 6 a.m. even on weekends, wearing the same clothes. I am proud to have passed all of my classes and my six Regents exams. I give thanks every day to my parents who gave me a solid education in Guinea and taught me self-determination. Without them, I could not have arrived in America and accomplished so much in a short amount of time. My ultimate goal is to excel in post-secondary education and build a career as an engineer, with the long-term dream of becoming a pilot. My experiences escaping political unrest, surviving a dangerous journey, and starting over in a new country have shaped me into a resilient and determined individual.. Many immigrant students believe they have no opportunity to pursue higher education, but that is not true. Scholarships and resources exist, and I want to help others realize this. I plan to support immigrant youth through mentorship, training workshops, and financial contributions to the organizations that gave me hope. Additionally, I will organize English language courses, as language barriers often prevent students from advancing academically. By providing guidance and resources, I hope to empower undocumented students to dream beyond just working and instead strive for education and professional success. Helping the next generation of students motivates me to pursue higher education and create opportunities for those who come after me.

My journey to pursue a better education is unlike many others. I came to the United States at age 16, hoping to build a better future for my family and myself . I was born and raised in Guinea, West Africa, a country plagued by political unrest and instability as well as ethnic violence. For young men like me, this unrest was a constant threat to our lives. To ensure my safety, and to get a good education, I forged my own path at a young age by leaving my home country, leaving behind my mother, brothers, and everything I knew. My journey to the U.S. was incredibly challenging, but I never lost hope. Eventually, I was transferred to foster care in New York, where I was finally able to enroll in high school. However, the process was not easy. The time it took to relocate and my lack of educational records meant I had to start as a freshman despite being just two months shy of my 17th birthday. Despite this setback, I was determined to make the most of my opportunity. I worked tirelessly to catch up and excel academically. Within three years, I will have completed all the Regents with Honors diploma requirements. This accomplishment reflects my strong desire to learn, my commitment to earning excellent grades, and my drive to pursue opportunities that contribute to my personal and professional growth. My ultimate goal is to excel in post-secondary education and build a career as an engineer, with the long-term dream of becoming a pilot. My experiences escaping political unrest, surviving a dangerous journey, and starting over in a new country have shaped me into a resilient and determined individual. I am driven to achieve my dreams and contribute meaningfully to the world. Many immigrant students believe they have no opportunity to pursue higher education, but that is not true. Scholarships and resources exist, and I want to help others realize this. I plan to support immigrant youth through mentorship, training workshops, and financial contributions to the organizations that gave me hope. I will share my experience to guide students on how to navigate the education system and secure opportunities. Additionally, I will organize English language courses, as language barriers often prevent students from advancing academically. By providing guidance and resources, I hope to empower undocumented students to dream beyond just working and instead strive for education and professional success. Helping the next generation of students motivates me to pursue higher education and create opportunities for those who come after me.

My journey to pursue a better education is unlike many others. I came to the United States at age 16, hoping to build a better future for my family and myself . I was born and raised in Guinea, West Africa, a country plagued by political unrest and instability as well as ethnic violence. For young men like me, this unrest was a constant threat to our lives. To ensure my safety, and to get a good education, I forged my own path at a young age by leaving my home country, leaving behind my mother, brothers, and everything I knew. My journey to the U.S. was incredibly challenging, but I never lost hope. Eventually, I was transferred to foster care in New York, where I was finally able to enroll in high school. However, the process was not easy. The time it took to relocate and my lack of educational records meant I had to start as a freshman despite being just two months shy of my 17th birthday. Despite this setback, I was determined to make the most of my opportunity. I worked tirelessly to catch up and excel academically. Within three years, I will have completed all the Regents with Honors diploma requirements. This accomplishment reflects my strong desire to learn, my commitment to earning excellent grades, and my drive to pursue opportunities that contribute to my personal and professional growth. My ultimate goal is to excel in post-secondary education and build a career as an engineer, with the long-term dream of becoming a pilot. My experiences escaping political unrest, surviving a dangerous journey, and starting over in a new country have shaped me into a resilient and determined individual. I am driven to achieve my dreams and contribute meaningfully to the world. Many immigrant students believe they have no opportunity to pursue higher education, but that is not true. Scholarships and resources exist, and I want to help others realize this. I plan to support immigrant youth through mentorship, training workshops, and financial contributions to the organizations that gave me hope. I will share my experience to guide students on how to navigate the education system and secure opportunities. Additionally, I will organize English language courses, as language barriers often prevent students from advancing academically. By providing guidance and resources, I hope to empower undocumented students to dream beyond just working and instead strive for education and professional success. Helping the next generation of students motivates me to pursue higher education and create opportunities for those who come after me.

Discipline and Me Being disciplined has changed my life in ways most Americans would never understand. My name is Julgard Nainy Nabe, and I am a senior at Newburgh Free Academy. I am originally from Guinea, West Africa, and I speak French, English, and Spanish as well as Mandingo, Sosso Koniangui, and Djakhanko. These last three languages are spoken in my country. After my father passed away in 2020 from COVID-19, my family faced many hardships, including political violence targeted at my ethnic group, a form of discrimination. My mother and siblings remain in Guinea, where life has been extremely difficult. I made the decision to leave Guinea and come to America to pursue a better future for my family and myself. I traveled alone by boat to Mexico, then entered the United States in 2022. I settled in New Windsor, New York thanks to the Cayuga Center, which is a foster care institution based in New York City that connected me to this community. Then I began school here. At the end of my sophomore year, I noticed that in order to get the education I wanted, I needed to become a serious and disciplined person. I started my sophomore year as a normal student. In December of that year, I had to change a house, family, and school because I turned 18 and aged out of the Cayuga Center program. I was set to begin a new program in New York City, but thanks to some of my Newburgh school teachers, one of them brought me to her home, and I was able to stay. People may have only one mother, but so many teachers in Newburgh helped me that I can say I have many mother figures. My primary mother figure and others look out for me because they see my hard work and discipline . I have struggled financially since I left my family. I did not only want to help myself, but also my mother and siblings. I met with my school counselor and told her I needed a school working permit to get a job. She told me, “I’ll give it to you, but you have to have good grades first.” The next day, I went again to meet her. I was struggling with English, but I wanted to take more classes. She said, “I will not have a lunch period anymore, and I would need to take night school.” She added three other classes to my schedule. In January, I started school with a new schedule from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. It was arduous in the beginning, but I have overcome harder situations than that, like stowing away on a boat, hiding for a month, and sometimes going days without food. I have lived only with water and endless nausea and vomiting due to the smell of the sea. I crossed Mexico at the border with the fear of being killed or beheaded by bandits. I was a victim between life and death if I did not give over my bag that had little money along with my passport. I spent three months in a shelter with no freedom or a phone to communicate with my parents. We were woken up every day at 6 a.m. even on weekends, staying with the same clothes and locked in the same place without knowing the outside world. I was often depressed and anxious. With hard work, strong education, and discipline, I am proud to have passed all of my classes and my six Regents exams. I give thanks every day to my parents who gave me a solid education in Guinea and taught me self-determination. Without them, I could not have arrived in America and accomplished so much in a short amount of time. My ultimate goal is to excel in post-secondary education and build a career as an engineer, with the long-term dream of becoming a pilot. My experiences escaping political unrest, surviving a dangerous journey, and starting over in a new country have shaped me into a resilient and determined individual. I am driven to achieve my dreams and contribute meaningfully to the world.