Building Dreams with Heart and Hope

In a home filled with love and hope, Julissa (17) and Juan Carlos (19) have learned that dreams are built with discipline, effort, and heart.

Both are part of IEP’s Class of 2025 and will graduate from high school in just one month. They live with their parents and three siblings, including little Fátima, a third grader at Colegio del Futuro-IEP who looks up to their perseverance.

At the Esperanza Center, Julissa and Juan Carlos discovered a passion for Guatemalan cuisine through the Chapina Gastronomy course. Twice a week, they rise early to attend classes, knowing that every recipe brings them closer to their goals, while in the afternoons they continue excelling in school.

Julissa hopes to study Gastronomy at the university level and share the flavors of her homeland with the world, while Juan Carlos dreams of becoming an agronomic engineer, raising cattle, and contributing to Guatemala’s agricultural development. With faith, family, and determination, they believe their future is filled with opportunities—and their journey is already inspiring their siblings, community, and the next generation.