Believing That You Can
me, I wasn’t a rich kid but I had a solid moral education
from my mom that helped me to be who I am today. After
all I’ve been through, I learned a lot of things that have built
my character. Today I had an opportunity to share my goals
and ambitions with everyone in the State of Florida! I want
to demonstrate how you can live a better life if you keep
trying, believing, and standing strong in your beliefs in what
you are doing. I believe one day I will accomplish my goals
and my dreams. You can too if you put all the words I’ve
written here in your heart.
Mackenson Sylvain is from Haiti and has lived in the United States since
- He is currently studying to take his GED exam with TLC Online at
The English Center, His teacher is Tim West.
My Goals and Ambitions
I came to the USA for a better life. For many reasons I
could not study beyond the 8th grade. My mother had many
children, and the most important thing was that we had food
and shelter to live. My father died when I was six years old,
and she had to be both mother and father for us because she
was left with the responsibility of 12 children. Thanks to her
work we never lacked food, and always had a roof over our
heads where we slept. I studied until the 8th grade because
my mother said that knowing how to read and write was
sufficient since she didn’t have the fortune to study.
I didn’t understand, but now I am aware of the difficulty
that she experienced. Nevertheless, now I know that
reading and writing is not enough. I have dreams and
ambitions, and that is why I’m in this country that is so
different from mine. There are different customs, foods, and
languages. I want to take advantage of opportunities for me
and my children. For this reason, I’m in school to become
fluent in English and pass the GED test. These are my goals
and ambitions.
Maria Moreno is a student at the Clearwater Adult Education/United
Methodist Cooperative Ministries Program at the High Point YMCA.
Her teacher is Ms. Brigita Gahr.