Success story 10 years in the making

Wilfredo

Wilfredo has been involved with our youth programs for 10 years, from Whiz Kids, to Teen Impact to now Rising Scholars. Here is a snapshot of a conversation he had with our staff member Arturo Minera, who has been a close mentor to Wilfredo over the years:

Q: How would you describe yourself?
A: I was super unpredictable when I was a little kid. Now, I’m more playful and outgoing.

Q: How did the programs help you?
A: I started to think about the people I hang around with, people I shouldn’t be around. I started to lose them by high school. By 10th or 11th grade my grades went up. I left all of them and started to be myself and improve myself in general.

Q: Where do you think you’d be without the village that embraced you?
A: I might be like a bully, or a person who drops out of school and doesn’t care about education. I would be one of the those lost kids.

Q: Where are you now because of the support you’ve received.
A: I can trust and be open. I cherish the people around me. I’m about to graduate and join a project that will help me decide whether I want a job or want to go to college. … There is still more coming.