Guilia Curcelli

For over seven years, the United States deployed troops into Iraq. After the country's reasons for the invasion turned out to be false—Iraq possessed no weapons of mass destruction and Saddam Hussein turned out to not be linked to al-Qaeda—the United States has struggled to justify its occupation. Years later, the war has left a lasting impact on both countries.

The last month has been packed with memories for junior Lukas Sako. He has been to Great America, Laser Quest and Earthquakes and Gold Pride soccer games, among other places, not to mention he has started attending a new school and is living more than 6,000 miles away from his home in Slovakia.