Little Village Student Has Full Ride To Stanford
(CBS) -- From Chicago's Little Village to Stanford.
A young man's dream is coming true, even when all the odds were against him.
CBS 2's Sandra Torres introduces us to this rising star from the southwest side.
Eighteen-year-old Guillermo Camarillo grew up in the Heart of Little Village, a neighborhood often known for gangs and violence.
"Growing up in a neighborhood like this you really don't see yourself in Stanford (or) Harvard. It's just really, really hard."
Hard, but not impossible.
Camarillo just received a letter of acceptance from Stanford University in California. He will receive a full ride.
He credits all of his success to his parents, whom he says are undocumented immigrants.
Camarillo hopes to study biomedical engineering so that one day he, too, can make a difference in his community.
"There was a time where I was really reserved of where I was from, but now I'm really proud," he says of his background.
Camarillo's father is now facing deportation pending a hearing in July, and although the family sees this as an obstacle they are looking forward to see Camarillo succeed.
In June he will graduate high school with the highest GPA in his class.