Making the grade: These Bronx students get accepted to Yale University

Two students from KIPP College Prep High School in the Bronx, who are both the first generation in their family to attend college, were recently accepted early decision to Yale University.

Stacey Lopez immigrated to the Bronx with her family from the Dominican Republic at 9-years- old and only spoke Spanish when she began attending KIPP. Despite the language barrier, she excelled in her studies and got a full scholarship to her dream college.

“This still feels surreal,” she told the Bronx Times. “If you told my younger self a few years ago I would be going to Yale I would say no way. All my hard work and dedication has paid off.”

Lopez’s path to higher education was not easy.

When she first arrived in America it was a major culture shock. The big buildings, bright lights and fast pace was scary, she recalled.

“I was definitely terrified,” she said. “I didn’t know much English at the time.”

She originally moved to Manhattan with her mom and three siblings, but in sixth grade relocated to Riverdale. Everything became easy when she enrolled at KIPP.

Read the full article here.