Meet The 2007 "Beat the Odds" Honorees

Choua Yang, a senior at Patrick Henry High School, admits that there were times she wanted to "give up" on herself, and her future. But when she thought of creating a better life for herself and her daughter, she knew she had to overcome the abuse, poverty, and family health problems that would have derailed the lives of so many young people.

As a member of a traditional Hmong immigrant family, Choua was culturally married at age 15. Soon pregnant, she found herself living with her new family and a controlling husband who repeatedly abused her both physically and psychologically. Isolated from friends and family, her school work suffered, and she constantly worried about the effects of the abuse on her daughter. Somehow, she found the strength to leave her husband and with her daughter move back with her own family. Because her own father had a stroke several years ago, and her mother is unable to work, she got a part time job to help support her financially-struggling family.

Far from being embittered by all her difficult experiences, she worked hard at school to earn a 3.45 grade point average in a rigorous International Baccalaureate program, while doing extra work to make up for the time she was absent to have her baby. She also joined the Badminton team and the Yearbook Club, and began tutoring elementary students. Even more, she mentors a young girl through Big Brothers Big Sisters. All the while she takes joy in caring for her daughter. Her nominator observed that Choua "will not just get by in life; she will excel." Choua plans to study either business or pharmacy at the University of Minnesota. She says, "I know now that with the strength I found in myself, I will be able to get through anything."

Jacqueline Bonilla, a Harding High School senior, came from El Salvador five years ago with her close-knit family, knowing she had to learn a new language, a new school, and a new culture. But the most difficult lessons began a short time later, at age 13, when she was told she had uterine cancer that forced her to face painful surgeries and chemotherapy. The treatments made her lose her hair, and the cruel teasing from some of her classmates made her afraid to attend school. Jackie's mother told her, "No digas porque, sino para que." (Jackie, don't ask why, ask what for.)

Surviving the cancer, she was soon confronted with another traumatic event: on a visit to El Salvador, Jackie's mother was denied re-entry into the United States. As the oldest girl, Jackie had to take care of her siblings, cook, do laundry, and help with the family business, all while trying to keep up with studies in her first year of high school. The toll became too much and her father finally sent the two youngest children back to El Salvador with her mom.

Jackie's cancer, combined with years of separation from her mother and younger siblings tested her family's strong faith, and made Jackie say to herself, "there is a reason why you are here." Overcoming so much was not easy, but it motivated her to give back. She visits local hospital patients, tutors and mentors younger students, and has helped a non-profit to send medical supplies to Salvadoran hospitals. Because she needed blood when she was sick, Jackie organized a blood drive for the Latino Community. At school, she has a 3.77 GPA and is an active member of National Honor Society. She is also Vice President of her church youth group, and helps out at the family business. Jackie plans to go to college to study nursing or Social Work and use her education to help people in her native El Salvador.

Tanya Allen, a Harding High School senior, has overcome a lifetime of difficulties in her 17 years, and yet she has found ways to succeed in school and life. Throughout her life, Tanya has survived crushing poverty, being molested by a non-family member, and has felt the devastating neglect and violence fueled by her father's alcoholism.

She also has endured the stress of her mother's recurring brain tumor, and the difficult death of her grandmother, who was Tanya's chief caregiver for much of her early life. Her father's drinking and violence forced Tanya's mom to kick him out many times and Tanya got used to the repeated broken promises he made to her and to her younger brother. Because of his alcoholism, she now faces the real possibility that he won't live to see her graduate because of alcohol-related cirrhosis of the liver.

Through it all, Tanya has shown amazing resilience and excelled in school and extra-curricular activities. To help out at home, she has held down several part time jobs. In high school, she's been an Honor Roll student, maintained a 3.77 GPA, and been listed in "Who's Who Among American High School Students." Outside of school she has earned a Black Belt in karate, teaches kids Kung Fu, volunteers with her church and with the Girl Scouts, and is an Ambassador of People to People, for which she will travel to Europe this summer.

As Tanya looks toward to her future, she plans to study to be a dentist at the University of Minnesota.

Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed, a senior at Wellstone International High School, has experienced things that most Americans can't even imagine. Growing up in Somalia, Mohamed lived with his family until political and social unrest disrupted their lives. When the country's warlords came to steal his family's land and possessions, they also took Mohamed and forced him to join them as a child soldier. Until he could escape five years later, Mohamed, along with many other children, tried to merely survive.

After escaping with a just a gun to hunt for food and protect himself, Mohamed walked for an entire month towards the Kenyan border, finally reaching a refugee camp. One day in the camp, his astonished parents who thought they'd never see him again, recognized him and the reunion brought tears of joy to all their eyes.

But the reunion was short-lived. His father returned to Somalia and was killed by warlords when trying to reclaim the family's land. His mother was later killed by bandits who attacked the car she was riding in. At age 16, Mohamed became responsible for himself and his five younger brothers. With no money, he could only keep up with is studies by teaching himself, and relying on the kindness of teacher's who helped pay his high school tuition.

Less than a year ago, Mohamed's uncle arranged for him, his brothers and his grandmother to immigrate to the United States. Since arriving, Mohamed has been driven to learn English and further his education, spending countless extra hours at school and studying at home. He even tutors some of the younger students. Mohamed has been accepted at St. Cloud State University and wants to major in Pre-Med and Political Science. He ultimately wants to become a heart surgeon, expand education and health care in his native country, and end the use of child soldiers in Africa. He says his experiences have helped him realize that "if you believe in yourself and trust God you will earn success...it was difficult but I did it."