At Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), you’ll find thousands of students from every corner of the globe. Among them are some of the brightest minds, strongest athletes, and most driven people—future world-changers. But here’s the thing: so many of their stories never get told. Unless they make it big, the tales of their early years stay hidden, shared only with close friends and family. We all have a story, a home, a unique view of the world.

That’s why, when I met Winston Lartey—my groupmate in a class project—I knew there was something special about him. Beyond Borders is his story: a quiet student from Ghana, Africa, who traveled across the world to study at RPI in Troy, NY. It’s about his journey from a third-world country to the land where dreams come true, all while balancing his love for soccer and his academic drive.

I made Beyond Borders hoping it would inspire at least one kid out there to realize that no matter where they come from, what they’re born with, or who they are, they can achieve greatness—and defy anyone who tells them otherwise.