At 15, Sylvia Chen left the only home she had ever known and boarded a plane bound for California. She arrived at San Marin High with no English, just the memory of being a straight-A student in China. She struggled to adapt to her new culture, school, and community. With remarkable determination and the support of her ELD teachers, Sylvia was redesignated out of the program in just one year. Today, she is thriving in AP courses and planning for college. After graduation next spring, Sylvia plans to pursue a career as a teacher and guide students overcoming similar language barriers.