When the office staff gathered and broke into applause for Esperanza Guadalupe De Gonzales, it wasn’t just a celebration — it was the sound of dreams realized.
Esperanza, who works alongside her mom at Wylie ISD, recently earned her high school diploma, an achievement years in the making. As a young mom, she never had the chance to graduate. But the dream never left her, and her mother never let her forget it.
“She’s the one that pushed me to it,” Esperanza shared. “I told her I wasn’t sure, but she said, ‘I’ll take you, I’ll pay for it, and I want you to do this.’ She’s been telling me for the longest time, and finally, I believed her.”
With support from her mom and guidance from staff who pointed her toward the right program, Esperanza committed herself to the work. In just a couple of months, she completed the requirements and proudly walked away with not a GED, but a high school diploma.
“It’s way better than a GED — it’s an actual diploma,” she said, beaming.
Her coworkers, many of whom witnessed the effort behind the scenes, gathered to cheer her on as she received the news. For Esperanza, it was more than a piece of paper — it was proof of perseverance, a gift for her family, and a reminder that it’s never too late to reach for something you’ve always wanted.
Stories like these remind us that encouragement, faith, and a little push from those who love us can make all the difference. And in true Wylie fashion, the whole Bulldog family was there to celebrate alongside her.
Because it really is great to be a Wylie Bulldog.
