From newcomer to global ambitions: A Boulder High Student’s story

In honor of Celebrating the Bilingual Child Month, meet BVSD alum Josue Hernandez Guerrero

5 min read

Growing up in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, Josue Hernandez Guerrero was always asking questions, eager to understand more about the world around him.

His mother, Claudia, was an elementary school teacher who nurtured his love of learning.

“My mom believed learning could change your life, and she made sure I believed that too,” he said.

But when Josue was 11, his mother passed away unexpectedly. Shortly afterward, he moved to Boulder to live with his father.

Josue as a child growing up in Mexico

“My mom believed learning could change your life, and she made sure I believed that too,” he said.

He was grieving, didn’t speak English and struggled to find his place at Centennial Middle School.

“For the first time in my life, school wasn’t the place where I felt confident,” he recalled. “It was the place where I felt lost.”

Despite the language gap, Josue’s math teacher, Ms. Hollinger, recognized that he was ready for advanced coursework. She found Spanish-language math textbooks so he could keep progressing in his studies, while developing his English skills.

“Bilingual students bring such brilliance to our classrooms,” said Dr. Bianca Gallegos, BVSD’s executive director of strategic partnerships and Impact on Education board member. “When educators see and nurture the unique strengths that every child brings, students don’t just learn better, they strengthen their belief in themselves.”  

Middle school was a challenging time for Josue. But he still remembers those small moments of encouragement along the way.  

Finding belonging and new possibilities

Things began to change at Boulder High School.

Josue made close friendships, helped establish the Latino Student Organization, and connected with teachers who encouraged him. School became a place where he could be himself.

With a larger support network cheering him on, Josue started saying yes to opportunities he might have passed up before.

That’s when he discovered Impact on Education’s Career Readiness Academy (CRA). It’s where he learned to write a resume, prepare for interviews, and network with professionals.

One experience he still remembers from CRA was a practice interview with a Google employee.

“That was my first interview, and I probably fumbled through it,” Josue recalled. “But it only got better after that.”

Josue speaking at Impact on Education’s 2026 gala

The professional offered feedback and encouragement that helped him approach future interviews with greater confidence.

Soon, Josue secured his first internship with the City of Boulder’s Parks and Recreation Department. One of his projects involved helping design Primos Park, a new neighborhood park near the mobile home where he grew up in North Boulder.

That first experience helped him build the skills and confidence to pursue other internships, including opportunities with Ball Corporation and Delta Air Lines.

“It’s almost like you’re stacking little pieces,” Josue said. “Looking back, it all falls together.”

The skills he developed with support from Impact on Education even helped his family.

When his father needed a resume to apply for jobs, Josue pulled out a template from Career Readiness Academy. Together, they built his father’s first resume and practiced interview questions.

“What I learned didn’t just help me,” Josue said. “It helped my family.”

Small investments, lasting impact

The young man who once struggled to find his place at Centennial Middle School went on to deliver the commencement speech at his Boulder High School graduation in 2023.

Josue delivering the Boulder High School commencement speech

Today, Josue is studying supply chain management at Northeastern University in Boston, where he’s putting his love of problem-solving to work. His Spanish fluency gives him an edge in a global industry.

“Growing up speaking Spanish and learning English later in life has helped me see things from different perspectives. In supply chain, where you are working with people from all over the world, being able to connect across languages and cultures is so valuable.”

An Impact on Education scholarship helps Josue make the most of the educational and professional opportunities he’s worked so hard for. It covers a variety of college expenses, including textbooks, housing, and health insurance, so he can focus on planning his future. 

“When we recognize bilingual students’ strengths, and provide the resources and opportunities they deserve, there’s no limit to what they can accomplish,” said Dr. Gallegos. 

Josue’s mother believed education could change his life. Today, Josue is living proof of that belief.

“There is so much potential in Boulder Valley,” said Josue. “Sometimes it just takes someone to believe in students and give them access.”

BEFORE YOU GO

Impact on Education is an independent nonprofit supporting the Boulder Valley School District. We depend on the generosity of our community to put our mission into action.

Will you help us provide opportunities and resources to local students?