Education All-Stars: From struggling in the classroom to Harvard student

VOXXI is dedicated to recognizing those working in the field of education for making a difference and those students setting the example for our future generation.

Bryan Peacker remembers arriving stateside at the age of 7 from Lima, Peru.

Speaking nearly no English, he was supposed to be in a bilingual program at an Orlando area elementary school. Instead, a paperwork error kept him in English-only classes, where for years he struggled to catch up.

Well, Peacker not only caught up but he excelled. By the time he arrived at Cypress Creek Senior High School, from which he recently graduated, he was a high-academic achiever.

In light of his success, the teenager couldn’t help but feel for those students who were in a similar situation to his. That’s when he started tutoring as many kids as the day had hours.

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“That was something I took from my experience,” Peacker told VOXXI. “I realized a lot of people struggled. And it made me want to help people as much as I could. Starting in 9^th grade, I began as a math tutor in my school. It wasn’t until 11^th grade that I really got serious about it. I contacted the local middle school asking if I could start a tutoring group for students with disabilities who really needed help.

“Then after that, I also tutored for my math teacher. Now this summer I’m tutoring students at the library. These are mostly elementary school-age kids who are about the age that I was when I came here. Some of them do speak English, some don’t. It really has given me another perspective of my own experience.”

Next up for Peacker is college; however, the Class of 2014 graduate isn’t going to just any four-year university. The young man is headed to Harvard University, which is not only quite the academic challenge but a financial one to boot.

That’s why Peacker was excited to hear he was recently named one of four Hispanic high school seniors to receive a $100,000 Ronald McDonald House Charities national scholarship.

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Each year, the national winners are selected from thousands of applicants. The rigorous process includes a completed application, essay and interviews with a distinguished panel of judges representing academia, business, media, Ronald McDonald House Charities and McDonald’s.

Now Peacker can focus on his studies, which find the biochemistry major focusing on med school. Just as he gave back to the community during high school tutoring whoever needed assistance, the benevolent-hearted student has a bigger target in mind for the rest of his life.

“The main thing is, I really want to help people in Peru,” Peacker said. “I went back there a couple of years ago and gave away old toys I had. I had a chance to see how poor people were there and how much they needed medical attention. It really motivated me to look at the medical field. I love biology. I love sciences. I really think that’s a good way to blend my interests and help others.”

Peacker admits he’s still empowered by his remarkable journey, arriving in America feeling invisible, lost and anxious followed by his subsequent success. It’s the latter component – achieving so much while starting with so little – that built confidence.

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In fact, that confidence helped a kid from Peru end up at Harvard University.

“I really do think it was quite an amazing thing I was able to get through it,” Peacker said. “That’s part of the reason I got into Harvard, I was able to overcome that. It gave me the motivation to do well in school, get involved outside of school, do all of the things that were kind of necessary.”

When asked what message he hopes people take away from his story, Peacker talked about frequent conversations he’d have with the kids he tutored.

“There’s always a way to persevere, keep working hard, to get past those challenges and to be able to achieve great things,” Peacker said. “That’s what I tell people whenever they’re in doubt, especially the kids I tutor whenever they’re feeling insecure about themselves. No matter how bad things seem or no matter how almost inescapable their situation may seem, there’s always a way out.”