The purpose of this study is to explore the educational achievements of Latinos and Latinas, looking at how their experiences impacted their education. The goal is to gain a deeper understanding of the unique barriers and challenges faced by Latinos in order to address these barriers and promote a more equal opportunity for educational attainment for Latinos. Protective factors were also explored in order to identify factors that were found to be helpful for Latinos in their K-12 education. Fourteen participants who identified as Latino/a or Hispanic descent were asked a series of open-ended questions pertaining to school life, family life, barriers and areas for potential improvement. Participants expressed a belief that parental involvement and family support were important contributors to success. Further, participants expressed being more impacted by the way their teacher made them feel and positive personal interactions than by mere teaching skills. Participants provided information regarding implications for Latino youth, their families and educators who work closely with Latino children and families, as they reexamined their own experiences in retrospect.