ABSTRACT
Ignacio came to the United States in search of a better life after the devastating 1995 earthquake in Mexico. The earthquake in Mexico had a devastating effect on Ignacio’s family and left his father unemployed. At his father’s suggestion, 14-year-old Ignacio made the long journey to the United States to join his sisters. Formal schooling was an adjustment for Ignacio. Before coming to the United States, he had not been enrolled in school for more than two years. Ignacio was a gifted soccer player from a very early age. It was not too long before he started getting invitations from various local soccer clubs to join their team. Ignacio’s educational path was different from most students’. During his first year of middle school, he experienced a traumatic incident that led him to drop out of school for two years.
