MARSING -- When Maria Paramo first moved to Marsing, she didn't speak English. But now she's the president of the National Honor Society and plans to earn a medical degree.

It was hard work that did it.

Marsing teacher Juanita de Leon said she first had Paramo in a class for students with limited English.

"She was my hardest worker at that time," de Leon said. "She was always questioning. I knew she would be something big. I know she's going to make it."

And Paramo said the work didn't end with mastering a new language. In her first year of high school, Paramo had to re-take pre-algebra. But she didn't want to fall behind, so the next year, Paramo took two math classes -- Geometry and Algebra.

Paramo also took on key leadership positions. Along with National Honor Society, she is also the president of Marsing's Future Hispanic Leaders of America.

Paramo said the National Honor Society provided Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets for needy families this year. Club members went trick-or-treating for canned food for the first round. At Christmas, students used their own money to purchase gifts for a local family with nine children.

The club's next project will be painting the playground equipment at the city park.

As president of the Future Hispanic Leaders of America, Paramo helps organize the town's upcoming Cinco de Mayo celebration. She said the event will include children's games and food.

Paramo said she is also keeping an eye on the future, and hopes her success will spur on others like her.

"A lot of Mexican students think high school's enough," Paramo said. "If kids see more Hispanic students going to college, they're going to want to go to, because they'll know it's possible. It's kind of like opening doors for them."

Paramo said too many students give up when success takes little more than effort.

"I think that's how kids fail," Paramo said. "It's not because they're dumb. They just don't do the work."

And she added that family support is what has kept her working toward success.

"I'm really lucky to have my parents," Paramo said. "They've always been there for me. They're going to be proud of me. I'm going to be the first in my family to graduate from high school. You just have to be determined."

Find more at the Idaho Press-Tribune.