The subject of this work is a group of young Latinos in Washington D.C. who came to the United States from war-torn Central America between 1980 and 1982. The study examines their rise out of the poverty in which they lived upon their arrival, their experiences with education and employment, and the impact of these encounters on their family and friends. The author discusses the history of Hispanic populations in Washington, D.C.; the effect of educational and career development programs; school ethnography; schooling as one aspect of acculturation; implications of immigration policy for employment; and different levels of opportunity for immigrant men and women. The chronological narrative charts the challenges of resettlement, schooling, job training, work, social and cultural integration, and young adulthood. An index and a substantive bibliography are provided.