Student Spotlight: Swa

Hi, my name is Swa. I’m 21, and I came to the U.S. from a refugee camp in Thailand called Mae La Camp when I was 3 years old, in 2007. I came to The Literacy Alliance with one thing in mind: to graduate and feel a sense of accomplishment that I failed to experience in my teenage years. In high school, I didn’t really care about what I did. I saw high school as a big playground, and I felt free to do whatever I wanted—and man, was I wrong. After I left high school, I didn’t have a goal in mind and thought to myself, “I don’t need a diploma.” I started working at a warehouse and saw that opportunities for promotions and advancement kept passing me by due to my lack of a diploma or GED.

One day, I decided, “You know what? I’ll go get my GED!” My experience at The Literacy Alliance has been amazing! Even though it was short and brief, I could tell the teachers and staff were just as determined to help me graduate and move forward in life. I truly appreciate The Literacy Alliance for giving me this chance to prove that it’s never too late. Finally, here I am, writing my pre-graduation letter before I head out to face the world again—this time, stronger.