Many don't know it, and many will never understand, but I know that if you are willing to give Worthington, Minnesota a chance, you will see the beauty that lies within it. I believe it to be an unacknowledged jewel of the Midwest.

As I prepare to graduate and move on from this place, I am moved to reflect on this town and everything it has meant to me. More often than not, the talk about Worthington in surrounding areas is not positive. I constantly hear others bashing our diversity, calling Worthington "ghetto" and judging us for many other reasons. It makes me so sad. I cannot believe that those who have never lived here and experienced Worthington for themselves could ever make these kinds of judgments. I once saw a post on Facebook from a woman who was interested in moving her family to town. The comments made, ripping on Worthington and the people who live here, were so upsetting and I could not believe what I was reading. It was truly disturbing, and I didn't understand their thinking at all.

In Worthington, there are nearly sixty different ethnic groups. The total population is sixty-percent diverse with a population made up of primarily Hispanic peoples. This means that thirty-percent of the students in our school system require English-as-a-second-language programming. I have personally been able to volunteer in some of these classrooms, and I have nothing short of amazed by the students I have connected with and the stories they have shared. Many of the students I met at the high school went to school during the day, traveled to another town to work all night, and then came right back into town for school in the morning. They were so hard working, and so interested in learning English and happy to be here in the United States.

Living in Worthington, I have grown up next to people from all over the world. I have friends from all corners of the globe. It is such an advantage, if you ask me. With such a small population, it is quite amazing that we have the substantial amount of diversity that we do. Where else in a town of 13,000 can you walk down Main Street and buy authentic food from all over the world? It is so wonderful to me. There is nothing more beautiful that living in harmony with people who are different from you.

These things are so extraordinary to me, and because of all these great advantages, I feel so hurt when people make such disgusting comments about the city that I love. You won't really understand until you come and visit, but I can guarantee that if you come here with an open mind, you will fall in love just like I did. Now that I am preparing to go off to school, I will take the understanding and appreciation that I have gained with me, and I know that I will feel the advantages that I have gained from my experiences will be beneficial to me for the rest of my life.

I am forever thankful for my home.