Most days, Vanessa Cordova Ramirez wakes at 6 a.m. to take care of her little brother, walk the puppy, make breakfast, and tidy up her family's Queens apartment before heading to school.
She's a planner. Otherwise, the 17-year-old says, she couldn't manage schoolwork, extracurriculars, two jobs, and family responsibilities. "Life is a little hectic," she admits.
