In Their Own Words

Guethshina Altena – 2015 Scholarship Winner




Guethshina has faced adversity in her 16 years that most of us couldn’t begin to imagine. After surviving the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti, which sadly took the life of her mother, Guethshina moved to the US to start a new life.

 

“When people look at me they see the black girl from Haiti with a thick French accent or the 16 year old senior from ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) that gets A’s in all her classes, or even the new girl who wants to go to college and face all the challenges to live on campus even though she is so young. I am so much more than that. I want the selection committee to see the 11 year old who jumped over that wall to save her life, the one who sang at her mom’s funeral, the girl who worked hard enough to be admitted to next level class even though she spent a year off from school. I want the selection committee to see the determined girl who has come from so far and still wants to continue to fight for the best. That girl is the one who wants to go to college and pursue her passion while accomplishing her mom’s will.”

 

Through the support of our donors, Guethshina was awarded a BLF Scholarship in 2015 and realized her dream to go to college. She is currently pursuing a Bachelors degree in Mathematics and Creative Writing at the Florida International University. Read more stories from our community here.