TAMPA, Fla. — Starting a new school can be challenging, especially if that new school is in a new country.

One student in Tampa Bay is hoping to make that transition a little easier with a club aimed at supporting first-generation students in Hillsborough County.

What You Need To Know

A Tampa Bay student is working to make education transition easier for immigrant students

The club known, First Generation, First Dream, is aimed at providing support for students

Flavia Mandado says this club was formed from her personal experience

Flavia Mandado said it feels like yesterday she took several pictures with her family back in Cuba: “I’m happy that we took this picture and we could treasure it forever.”

Memories like this continue to connect her to her Cuban roots even though she left her home country four years ago.

She says the move came with a lot of challenges, especially navigating the school system. “I didn’t have anyone that could guide me through the United States educational system, so I didn’t take full advantage of my knowledge and how I could use my dedication to school.”

After her first two years, she got the hang of things and began to take more advanced courses like honors and advanced placement.

Now as a senior at Alonso High School, she’s got a lot of awards to show for her hard work, and she wants to pay it forward through a new club, First Generation, First Dream.

“It’s dedicated to first-generation students, no matter where they come from, no matter their cultural background,“ she said.

The club, which has about 30 members so far, teaches first-generation students about the educational system in America. They’re learning about honors, AP and dual enrollment courses and how to apply to college.

It’s building community while strengthening students’ love for education.

“I would like to pass that advice that I missed to that generation, so they do not miss is,“ Mandado said.

She is serving as a role model to help students like herself succeed in a new environment.

Mandado hopes to expand the club outside of schools, too, and that she can eventually turn the group into a nonprofit organization.