Najaris Hernandez-Martinez felt ill-prepared to come to America when she was young, but now she is happy and sees opportunities for careers that she never imagined before.

Najaris was born in Managua, Nicaragua, where she spent much of her time visiting her grandmother in the countryside and going to the beach. Though she was young when she lived in Nicaragua and does not remember much of her life there, she remembers how much she enjoyed the beautiful Nicaraguan scenery and the beach.

When she was four, she and her father moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but her mother stayed behind in Nicaragua. Her mother missed her very much. It took her some time to adjust to life in Wisconsin, particularly because of the weather differences–it is much colder here. Her mother has now moved to the US and they live together again.

In high school, Najaris pursued volleyball and track. She was able to shadow a doctor at a local medical center, which confirmed her desire to major in physiological sciences and attend medical school. She did well in high school and was accepted a scholarship where she will pursue college. Her hope is to use medicine to give back to others.