By Don Krim
Third in a series focusing on stories of our incoming 2021 class.
Student: Ilse
Field of study: Nursing
Ilse is 20-years-old and enters Jóvenes Adelante (JA) this year on her second try. As she says, perhaps, “The second [time] is the charm.” And boy, is JA charmed! One of several new nursing students who entered JA this year who are dedicated to the care of others, Ilse already shows such maturity, self-awareness, and discipline as she shares about herself, her mom, and her life:
“My mother is the woman I most admire in the world. I hope one day to be like her, that strong, authentic and brave… Anyone who has the fortune of having a mother like mine will understand what I am talking about, that is why I enjoy the days when she rests so much… she is that person who deserves all the good in the world and is satisfied with nothing…
This new pandemic situation has taught me many things… [I have gotten closer to my family… ] and to know myself better… I define myself as a responsible person, committed although a little shy, responsible since I have to fulfill my obligations at home and school… I assume the consequences of my actions [which] helps me to make a better decision and to gain the trust of people. I commit to the maximum when something interests me, [fulfilling] my obligations and everything that I propose… I always seek to achieve my greatest potential… even more than what I propose no matter how many times I fail…What I like the most about myself is my ability to recognize my mistakes. I have learned that the more I make mistakes the more I am learning to do things right. This has been a constant work that my parents and I have done together. Thanks to them I obtained very good talents such as being a good daughter, educated and the talent for study, because I believe that the greatest virtue that a studious person requires is the value of responsibility and this does not allow me to lack with my homework.
During high school I had to serve in the Mexican Red Cross and I discovered that being a nurse is what I want in my life – it is my purpose. …Nursing is always updating and it is something that I love. I enjoy learning new things. I want to improve the world with small actions helping others, help my family, achieve better stability, because one day someone else would take care of me – future generations of the health area [I hope,] are better than me because perhaps they will face a bigger pandemic.”
To find out more about our students and how to support them in their setbacks and triumphs, please visit www.jovenesadelante.org