Bryant Grad Earns First High School Diploma In Family As New Mom

GROVETON, VA — At age 7, Anyeli Salguero came to the U.S. from Honduras and knew little English. She was afraid to ask questions because of her accent and not knowing the English language well.

Less than a decade later, she is a 16-year-old high school graduate, the first in her family, amid juggling responsibilities as a new mom.

Salguero graduated with help from Project Opportunity, a Fairfax County Public Schools initiative that helps expectant and new parents stay on track to obtaining their high school diploma.

"Senior year, I'm 16-years-old with a 1-year-old baby girl and being a single mom working part time at an internship," said Salguero as the featured student speaker at Bryant High School's June 7 graduation. "I have conquered my fears, and once again proving myself wrong, accomplished another goal."

After becoming pregnant as a 14-year-old freshman, Salguero transferred to Bryant High School in 2021, as the alternative high school has an on-site daycare center where her daughter could attend.

Salguero initially walked to school while seven months pregnant since she didn't qualify for bus service living so close to the school. But she soon found support from the school.

Principal Chris Larrick arranged for a bus to take her to school, while her counselor Margaret Veenstra and other Project Opportunity staff helped her get a car seat, a pack and play, and diapers before her daughter was born.

In October 2021, she went into labor at school.

"I remember holding her hand as she got on a stretcher before heading to the hospital to have her daughter,” Larrick said via the FCPS blog. "She’s a warrior. I said, 'Watch, in two months she’ll be back.' And she was."

Even after giving birth, Bryant High School helped her continue her education while homebound.

"I had a teacher bring both school work and diapers to my house, and I applied for the daycare in the building and by the time I was ready to go back to school my daughter had been accepted," she told the FCPS blog.

Salguero has numerous people at Bryant High School who supported her, including Veenstra, her counselor.

"We try to break down the barriers for students to be successfully able to complete a high school diploma, master the material and hopefully go on and get additional education," said Veenstra via the FCPS blog.

Veenstra encouraged her to apply for an internship program, while she completed last summer. She had to drop her daughter off at daycare at Bryant High School before catching a bus at West Potomac High School for her internship. It made for a lot of early mornings and late nights, but she knew it would pay off. Then in September, she got a job as an external relations associate intern at Genesis Works.

"I wouldn't have done it if it was not for my counselor pushing me and my mom, who always told me that once you start something you can't just give up. I knew that giving up was not an option," Salguero said in her graduation speech.

Salguero thanked the support system that helped her get to graduation, including family, mentors, friends, supervisors and teachers.

"Here at Bryant High school, I found peace, people who understand me, a place where people cared and saw who I really am," she said. "Bryant is a place where you can overcome your fears and be free."

Salguero thanked her mother, Sandra Peralta, for the work and sacrifices her mother made for her and her brothers.

She also had a special message for her daughter, GiGi, who inspires her to work hard.

"You might not know this for now, but you saved me going down the wrong path," Salguero said. "If it was not for you, give me motivations...I wouldn't be where I am now. I just want you to know that Mommy loves you and I will always be here for you. And like my cat says, my diploma your future.

According to the FCPS blog, Salguero plans to attend Northern Virginia Community College in the fall and study business administration.