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Lluvio Bello didn’t really know how to make friends. Her family was experiencing medical problems, her confidence was down and on top of all of that, it was time to start high school.

“It was a hard time in my life,” said the 2020 graduate of Davie County Early College High School. “The school fought for me and saw in me what I didn’t even see in me. It has been the best four years of my life.”

The daughter of Rocio and Gabriel, Lluvia wants to be a doctor – a desire she got while watching a cousin go through medical treatments. “Hardships made me want to be a doctor and help. I’ve always wanted to do something in the medical field.

She will study biology at East Carolina University, where she hopes to be accepted into medical school.

Lluvia wouldn’t trade her experiences at college for anything, and will miss her classmates.

Her advice to classmates?

“Love yourself and love God if you believe in God,” she said. “It took me a long time to love me as myself. It gives you esteem and sometimes, a will to live.”

Being stressed out over problems in life isn’t worth it, she said. “Life shouldn’t be getting in the way of living your life.”

The staff at the early college taught all students how to speak in public, to be the best they can be while being professional and polite.

“The early college taught us how to seek ourselves and love ourselves. That school is about building relationships. I’ll be calling my friends all the time.

“We’re a family at that school. As we continue to grow, we’ve helped each other. I never thought we would be that close.”

She remembers an early overnight field trip to a college, when she injured her foot and couldn’t walk. “They took care of me. I thought, these are my people, the ones I’m going to spend four years with.”