At 13-years-old Julio Martinez says he started hanging with the wrong crowd, considered joining a gang and always ditched school. Martinez moved from Salt Lake City, Utah to L.A. when he was in 8th grade and says after that his life changed.

It was a different world in California for him and he had a hard time meeting new friends. When he entered Jefferson his freshman year in 2015 things didn't get any easier for the new kid on the block.

His freshman year he says racial tension between black and Latino students were high on Jefferson's campus and alterations were regular. Martinez admits that he was involved in the fights that broke out in 2015.

His family was concerned he was heading down a path that he might not come back from. So, Martinez decided to move back to Utah and live with his godparents while his mom stayed in L.A.

Martinez says internally he struggled thinking about what he put his mom through back in L.A. and he regretted putting his family through the bad choices he made.

After a year in Utah he decided to visit his mother in L.A. and wanted to come home to be with his family. He returned to Jefferson his 10th grade year and met his girlfriend. The couple has been together for two years now and have an 7-month-old son named Mateo. He says his son changed his life and, "Everything is hard in life, you know, but we gotta be strong and keep pushing."

Martinez's claims his new found success and change of attitude is because of the new teachers who have guided him on a better path. He sees his future now and looks forward to graduating. After high school he hopes to attend college and one day be an architect one day. While spending time building rooms with his grandfather in Utah his freshman year, he picked up a knack for drawing and designing.

When Martinez isn't taking care of his son, going to class or working he spends his time on the soccer field. His dream would be leaving high school with a ring.

"Like what if we win season - like soccer season - if we win the ring. That would be great. Like that's what I would want come out of high school with the ring and like be happy," Martine says.

Being part of the soccer team and standing for something greater than just himself has been a rewarding experience for him his senior year.

Martinez didn't attend his 8th grade graduation which left feeling like he missed out on his accomplishment. But graduating from high school won't be an event he'll miss. He is looking forward to making his family and his son proud.

Balancing school, working on the weekend and having a newborn hasn't stopped Martinez from reaching his goals. With the help of his famiy he says it's getting better to balance his daily life. Martinez and his girlfriend hope to move to Lancaster, California because they don't like the area they live in now and want to give Mateo a better life. Now that he has a son he wants to be a good influence not just for his son but for other young people.

Martinez's advice for young students finding their path is,"Everybody's got to be united, you know, because if we're united everybody's going to grow."