Esteban Narez works hard to provide for his family, but he wants to do more to give them a better life.

Like many Americans, the 26-year-old Watsonville, Calif., man has encountered his share of obstacles along the way. A major injury forced Narez to withdraw from high school during his senior year. Medical bills and family finances have required him to work full-time since then. Narez does his best to make ends meet by working 7 days a week at a ranch in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

While shoeing horses at the ranch, Felton, Calif., farrier Cassidy Robyn took notice of Narez’s drive and work ethic and made him a deal — he’d hire him as an apprentice when he successfully completed farrier school.

It was just the opportunity that Narez was looking for — a good, honest living while continuing to work with horses. Shortly thereafter, though, Narez’s hopes for a better life encountered another obstacle. After applying to Pacific Coast Horseshoeing School in Plymouth, Calif., owner Bob Smith had to turn away Narez because he didn’t have a high school degree, GED or hadn’t passed a U.S. government-approved exam…