Jorge Lopez

Norwalk-La Mirada Adult School

Nominated in 2023

Jorge Lopez is the second oldest of 6 children, his parents immigrated to the United States in 1979. He grew up in a challenging neighborhood and made some questionable choices that resulted in him having to relocate from his childhood home. This was the wake-up call of his life and so began a transition to a better life and becoming a positive example in his community.

Soon after he met his wife and became a father, he began to do construction work and picked up weekend shifts to enable his wife to pursue her studies to become a registered nurse. As the primary financial provider for his family, he hardly had time with his wife and kids but understood this sacrifice would pay off later.

Jorge was ready to invest in himself and become certified in the construction field. There was one problem. To become certified, he needed a high school diploma. This is when Jorge decided to return to his old neighborhood, only this time it was to enroll in the Adult HSD program. He had to make some difficult choices like forgo work to focus full-time on his studies. However, with the financial support of his wife it was his turn to pursue his goals and enrolled in the Fall of 2021. Jorge completed all his HSD requirements with a B average and in June 2022, he received his diploma. Additionally, he earned a scholarship to help cover his cost to further his education. He wasted no time and enrolled with innovative Inspection Training School in July where he completed certification courses in reinforced concrete.

Although Jorge no longer lives in the same neighborhood he grew up in, he made it a point to finish his education where it all started. He commuted through 5 cities over the course of 10 months to complete his studies. During the graduation ceremony he was recognized for his resilience and dedication to becoming a positive example to his community. He was promoted and is currently employed with RS Construction Services Inc as a (DSA) Assistant project inspector. In the near future, Jorge would like to become a DSA inspector for the county of Los Angeles. NLMAS is proud to call Jorge our own and wish him continued success in the future.