A Dream Becomes Reality

In high school, I lost my way and fell in with the wrong crowd. I was hurting myself and those around me.  In 2010, with the help of my uncle Hector, I enrolled at MJC in the EOP&S Bridge Program.  Bridge set the foundation for me in pursuing my dream of becoming a Registered Nurse.

While in the Bridge Program, I learned how to structure my days, become organized, and learned the discipline it takes to succeed in school and in life.  I never saw myself in college, yet after enrolling in Bridge, I had perfect attendance, earned straight A’s, and was awarded the Best in Class Award for my performance in Math.  It was life-changing to be recognized for my positive achievement and gave me the confidence I needed to continue on my path toward finishing college and becoming a Nurse.

The lessons I learned stayed with me, and with a lot of hard work and the support of my family and fiancée Letty Blanco, I was accepted on my first attempt into the MJC Nursing Program.  When I enrolled at MJC, I tested at a basic skills level and had to complete six math classes and three English classes to graduate.  This past semester I graduated from the Nursing program and am now working at Doctor’s Medical Center, my dream now a reality.  I don’t know where I would be without MJC.

- Hector Duarte, Class of 2015