Driven by Determination: Adriana’s Journey

There’s a version of this story where an eleven-year-old girl, arriving in a new country with no English and no roadmap, simply gets by. But that’s not this story. Adriana came to the United States with her parents and three siblings 11 years ago, leaving Haiti in search of a better future. She walked through the doors of Grace Place with very little English. This spring, she’ll walk across a stage at Florida International University with a diploma in hand, one step closer to the white coat she’s dreamed of since she was a kid who didn’t know the English word for doctor.

Finding Her Voice

Adriana joined Grace Place in sixth grade after her school recommended the Academy of Leaders afterschool program to help her with English and homework. “I was very shy and reserved and didn’t talk to people much. I was in my own little bubble,” she recalls.

But that began to change quickly. In just two quarters at Grace Place, Adriana raised her English grade from a C to an A. As the years passed, she became increasingly involved—not only as a student, but as a volunteer and eventual employee.

“High school was when I really got deeply involved with Grace Place,” she says, recalling her time volunteering in the food pantry and later working in the middle school program. Grace Place also gave her the confidence to pursue the future she had envisioned since childhood.

A Dream Takes Shape

“My goal since I was five years old was to become a doctor, specifically a pediatrician,” Adriana says.

With the encouragement of staff members and her mentor, Stephanie, who pushed her to dream big, Adriana excelled throughout high school and ultimately earned a full-ride college scholarship through Grace Place. She is one of more than 40 Grace Place students who have gone on to college with a donor-funded full-ride scholarship since 2013.

Throughout college, Adriana continued to challenge herself academically. She was admitted to FIU’s Honors Program, where she had the opportunity to study abroad in Costa Rica. The experience allowed her to learn beyond the classroom, experience a new culture, and broaden her perspective as she prepared for her future career.

After completing her undergraduate degree at FIU, she plans to apply to medical school.

Paying It Forward

Even after leaving Grace Place as a student, Adriana kept coming back. She volunteered, worked with younger students, and stayed connected to the staff who had supported her.

This past summer as an intern, Adriana led the Family Food Distribution program, training nearly a dozen volunteers and ensuring more than 400 families had access to nutritious food to take home.

“This internship has helped me improve my communication, leadership, and organization skills,” she says. “Working with families and volunteers has shown me the importance of serving others, which will help me as a future pediatrician.”

“Sixth-grade me would be so proud of how far I’ve come because of my involvement at Grace Place,” she says. “No matter how much time has passed, I know the door at Grace Place is always open for me.”