我之所以说，学生需要为自己的教育负责，是因为，我想让你们知道，这是我的真实人生经历。
Like Menbere, growing up, I considered myself pretty lucky. Even though my parents didn't have a lot of money, they never went to college themselves, they had an unwavering belief in the power of education. So they always pushed me and my brothers to do whatever it took to succeed in school.
就像Menbere一样，从小到大，我都认为自己很幸运。虽然我的父母并不富裕，他们从来没有上过大学，但是他们坚信教育的力量。所以，他们经常督促我和我的哥哥们，要付出全部的努力，去获得学业上的成功。
So when it came time for me to go to high school, they encouraged me to enroll in one of the best schools in Chicago. It was a school a lot like this one. And listening to Menbere's story, it was so similar, because my school was way across the other side of the city from where I lived.
所以，上高中之前，他们鼓励我，去芝加哥最好的学校之一报名，那所学校跟你们这所学校很像。听着Menbere的故事，我感到，它跟我的经历是如此相似，因为我的学校也是离家很远，在城市的另一边。
So at 6:00 a.m. every morning, I had to get on a city bus and ride for an hour, sometimes more, just to get to school. And I was willing to do that because I was willing to do whatever it took for me to go to college. I set my sights high. I decided I was going to Princeton.
所以，每天早上，六点钟，我就要坐上公交车，经历一个小时的车程，有时候还要更久，才能到学校。我心甘情愿这样做，因为，为了上大学，我愿意倾尽全力。我的志向很远大，我决定，我要考上普林斯顿大学。
But I quickly realized that for me, a kid like me, getting into Princeton wasn't just going to happen on its own. See I went to a great school, but at my school we had so many kids, so few guidance counselors, they were dealing with hundreds of students, so they didn't always have much time to help me personally get my applications together.
但是，很快，我就意识到，对于像我这样的孩子而言，考上普林斯顿大学，并非易事。我上的高中，确实是很好的高中，但是，我们学校的学生很多，而指导老师却很少，他们要面对几百个学生，所以他们没什么时间来单独帮助我，去把大学申请做好。
Plus, I knew I couldn't afford to go on a bunch of college visits. I couldn't hire a personal tutor. I couldn't enroll in SAT prep classes. We didn't have the money. And then, get this, some of my teachers straight up told me that I was setting my sights too high. They told me I was never going to get into a school like Princeton.
另外，我知道，要去参观不同的大学，我去不起。我不能雇一个私人向导，我不能去上SAT备考课程，我们没有那么多钱。就是那时，我的老师们直接告诉我，我的目标太高了，我永远不可能考上普林斯顿那么好的大学。
And I still hear that doubt ringing in my head. So it was clear to me that nobody was going to take my hand and lead me to where I needed to go. Instead, it was going to be up to me to reach my goal. I would have to chart my own course. And I knew that the first thing I needed to do was have the strongest academic record possible.
这句话，令我记忆犹新。当时，我很清楚，没有人会帮助我去实现目标，我只能靠自己，我要对自己的课程足够上心。我的当务之急，就是要获得尽可能高的学业成绩。
So I worked hard to get the best grades I could in all of my classes. I got involved in leadership opportunities in school where I developed close relationships with some of my teachers and administrators. I knew I needed to present very solid and thoughtful college applications, so I stayed up late, got up early in the morning to work on my essays and personal statements.
所以，我非常努力，争取在所有科目取得最好的成绩。在学校里，我学着去锻炼自己的领导能力，跟很多老师和领导熟络起来。我知道，我的大学申请内容，必须非常坚实，要经过深思熟虑，所以我经常熬夜，早早地起床，改进自己的文章和个人陈述。
I knew my parents would not be able to pay for all of my tuition, so I made sure that I applied for financial aid. That FAFSA form was my best friend. I knew the deadlines, everything. Most importantly, when I encountered doubters, when people told me I wasn't going to cut it, I didn't let that stop me. In fact, I did the opposite.
我知道，我的父母无法为我支付所有学费，所以，我一定要申请经济援助。FAFSA表格，就像我最好的朋友一样，我太了解它了。我知道所有的截止日期，关于它的所有事情，我都很清楚。最重要的是，有人质疑我的时候，有人跟我说我做不到的时候，我没有让他们阻拦我。事实上，我做的，跟他们说的，完全相反。
I used that negativity to fuel me, to keep me going. And at the end, I got into Princeton, and that was one of the proudest days of my life. But getting into Princeton was only the beginning. Graduating from Princeton was my ultimate goal. So I had to start all over again, developing and executing a plan that would lead me to my goal.
他们对我的消极评论，成为了我奋斗的动力。最终，我考上了普林斯顿大学，那是我人生中最自豪的一段时光。但是，考上普林斯顿大学，只是一个开始。从普林斯顿大学顺利毕业，才是我的终极目标。所以，我又重新开始奋斗，制定计划，实施计划，让我的计划带领我实现目标。
And of course, I struggled a little bit. I had to work hard, again, to find a base of friends and build a community of support for myself in this Ivy League University. I remember as a freshman I mistakenly rolled into a class that was meant for juniors and seniors. And there were times when I felt like I could barely keep my head above water.
当然，我也遇到了一点困难。我要重新开始，在这所常春藤大学里，我要很努力地寻找志同道合的朋友，找到支持我的人。我记得，大一的时候，我曾经错误地选了一门课，那门课是给大三、大四的学生上的。很多时候，我感觉自己学得非常吃力。
But through it all, I kept that college diploma as my North Star. And four years later, I reached that goal, and then I went on to build a life I never could have imagined for myself. I went to law school, became a lawyer. I've been a vice president for a hospital. I've been the head of a nonprofit organization.
但是，从始至终，大学文凭，一直是我的导航。四年之后，我的目标实现了，接下来，我继续建设自己的人生，这是我以前从来没想象过的人生。我去法律学校学习，成为了一名律师。我曾经是一所医院的副院长，我曾经是一家非营利性机构的带头人。
And I am here today because I want you to know that my story can be your story. The details might be a little different, but let me tell you, so many of the challenges and the triumphs will be just the same. You might be dreaming of becoming a doctor or a teacher; maybe a mechanic or a software designer.
今天，我来到这里，是因为，我想让你们知道，我的故事，也可能成为你们的故事。故事的细节，可能略有不同，但，我可以告诉你，这其中的挑战和胜利，都是一样的。你可能想成为一名医生，一名教师，一名技工，一名软件设计师。
Or you might not know what you want to do right now, and that's fine. But no matter what path you choose, no matter what dreams you have, you have got to do whatever it takes to continue your education after high school. Again, whether that's going to community college, getting a technical certificate, or completing a training opportunity, or going off to a four-year college.
又或者，可能你还不知道自己想做什么，没关系。无论你选择了什么样的道路，无论你的梦想是什么，你都要在高中之后继续全力以赴，读书深造。无论你是去上社区大学，去获得技术证书，还是去接受培训，去上四年制的大学，都一样。
And once you've completed your education, you will have the foundation you need to build a successful life. That's how me, that's how Menbere, that's how so many other students have overcome adversities to reach our goals.
一旦你完成了学业，你就有了坚实的基础，让自己获得成功的人生。我，Menbere，还有其他很多学生，都是这样克服困难、实现目标的。
