NATALIA ISLAS

As a single mother and a surviving victim of human trafficking, the ability to attend school has been a blessing. I strive to become an encouraging remodel for my son and a productive citizen in my community. However, at times it is very difficult to keep up with our daily expenses and the requirements for many of my classes. Thanks to the EOPS program, I am able to save money with their book services. I am able to spend more time with my son because of priority registration. When I need emotional support, I can go see one of the EOPS counselors. The honest truth is that without the EOPS program, I would feel discouraged to continue my education. My life would be extremely stressful and I would not have the ability to keep up with my GPA. Besides being a mother and a student, I also volunteer at my local church where we hand out food every other Wednesday to the homeless. I am also the 2019 award winner for the Coronado Soroptimist club and have been selected to compete at the national level in Seattle. I have a long and difficult journey ahead of me, but I see the light at the end of the tunnel and refuse to give up. I would like to thank the EOPS program and counselors for everything they do for us. From the bottom of my heart, it really does make a difference.