When Luis Vasquez moved from Mexico to the United States at age 9, learning English was just the first of his big challenges. Living in a neighborhood overrun by gangs, violence and drugs, Luis found a loving community at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Weld County in Colorado.

A nine-year Club member, Luis tutored younger members, participated in community service projects such as graffiti clean-up and roadside litter control, and helped staff communicate with Spanish-speaking Club members and parents.

Luis excelled in high school, both in the classroom and on the soccer field. The only Hispanic member of the soccer team until his senior year, Luis' influence helped recruit other Hispanic players. He is also a member of the LULAC Club, a nationwide program that connects Latino students from across the county.

Now 18, Luis is a freshman at the University of Northern Colorado and plans to become a bilingual teacher to help non-English-speaking immigrant children, just like he once was.

"The Club has meant the world to me. Being a part of the Club has given me the opportunity to stay away from gangs, stay in school and become a role model for my family.

"After I began attending the Club almost every day, I realized that my sisters were looking up to me and that felt good. I felt good. Even my parents were looking at me in a different light. When you come from a family where hope is sometimes hard to find, I became that hope.

"Without the Boys & Girls Club, I probably would have chosen the wrong road. To me, the Club means options and choices; it means giving me the chance to live my life the way I want, rather than how I am forced to."