High school gives you the opportunity to learn and grow over the years, each year it teaches you something new and grow in many ways.

Maria Madrid is one of the few that is graduating with Class of 2018 as a three-year graduate. Being a three-year graduate means more sacrifices than graduating in four years but also brings more opportunities and a head start into college. These are the ups and downs, Madrid has been facing when preparing for early graduation.

“Of course there are downsides as in stress and trying to keep up the good work. Every story has it downsides, but I can start college early and my career earlier,” Madrid said.

Madrid also had to give up soccer and piano in order to meet her goal of being a three-year graduate. She dedicates both her recent and future achievements to her mom and brothers.

“I’m graduating for my mom the only reason is to make her proud, the most important people in my life are my parents and brothers,” Madrid said.

Madrid’s first goal was to graduate in white with her class of 2019, but along the way she made certain decisions that affected her goal of graduating in white, but she still wanted to make her mom proud so she made the decision to be a three-year grad.

“The reason why i decided to graduate early was because my plans for high school was to graduate in white but i slacked as a freshman. I followed my second goal ,which was to graduate in three years,” Madrid said.

When Madrid realized she had the chance, not only to be the first three-year grad in her family but also be the first to graduate she decided to take the opportunity. She has since then been nothing but excited for next year and already has her future planned out.

“My plans after graduation are to leave El Paso to Salt Lake City, Utah to study over there and get a fresh start and plan to study the four years of law enforcement so i can become a custom officer. I’m not scared to enter college in a young age, I’m more excited than all,” Madrid said.

Aside from Salt Lake City, Madrid has unexpectedly gotten scholarships and been accepted to Our Lady of the Lake University without applying.

Madrid is a example on how sometimes  dreams come true depending on how much you fight and sacrifice you put into them. In this case, Madrid fought for her dream of graduating early leaving behind all the obstacles to be able to make her parents proud and she succeeded.