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South County STEM Youth Fights to the Finish!
On Saturday, December 10th, our STEM program, a partnership with the
Silicon Valley Children's Fund, had its graduation ceremony to honor the youth who participated in the program during Fall 2016. It was the first time that all three cohorts (Museum Experience, Robotics, and
Hack the Hood) came together for a joint celebration, and we had the biggest turn out yet!
Although having such a great turn out is always exciting, the biggest success of the event is the graduation of one of our youth, Enrique, who participated in the Hack the Hood cohort in Gilroy this fall. Getting to the STEM program graduation has not been an easy ride for Enrique, but he fought through the challenges and completed the program, designing a website for the
Opportunity Youth Academy in Gilroy.
Enrique's biggest barrier to success has been finding stable housing. Just before the last STEM class, Enrique's housing issues intensified and he sold the laptop that he had been given as part of the STEM program in order to afford to stay in a motel. Since he no longer had a laptop to use to work on his website, he contemplated dropping out of the program, but Opportunity Youth Program Coordinator Stephany Fuentes encouraged him to finish the program. And it is a good thing she did because at graduation, we surprised him with a brand new laptop to replace the one he had sold!
With his new laptop, Enrique is working alongside Opportunity Youth Academy Principal
Nicky Ramos-Beban, Ph.D. to improve his website and intends to finalize the website by January 30th. He also started working at a new job, which he found with the help of TeenForce, and re-enrolled in the Opportunity Youth Academy to earn his high school diploma.
Our TeenForce team is so incredibly proud of Enrique for fighting through the daily challenges he faces and never giving up! We know he has a bright future ahead of him, and we are all excited to see where he ends up. Congratulations, Enrique, for all of your successes not just this past semester but throughout your life!
Enrique's website will not go live until January 30th, but check out these other websites designed by youth in our Hack the Hood Fall 2016 cohort:
GinaLopez.com,
DG Communications,
Snowie Shaved Ice,
MONEYdawg $olution$, and
Ciel
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San Jose Councilmember Peralez Offers Internship for Summer 2017
At our STEM program graduation, San Jose Councilmember Raul Peralez revealed that he is a former CASA volunteer and spoke about the importance of caring adults for foster youth success. "[It] doesn't always have to be a parent," he says, "but having somebody in [a youth's] life who is there to help guide [them] and shows [them] love. That is what we need." Committed to helping foster youth thrive, Councilmember Peralez announced that he will offer to host an internship for a foster youth in our STEM program this summer. He also offered to allow our youth to shadow him for a day, attending meetings with him and experiencing a day in the life of a city councilmember. We are so thankful to Councilmember Peralez for his support of not just our STEM program but foster youth in general!
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To Learn How Your Company Can Host an Internship for Summer 2017!
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STEM Program Testimonials
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"I was so impressed with the participants and the program. The students are learning so many valuable skills - interacting with clients, graphic design, research skills, the value of trial and error, I could go on and on.
I value the fact that each student receives their own laptop computer as part of the program. This laptop computer puts [foster youth] on a more even playing field with fellow students who have more family and financial support.
In addition, your staff was very impressive. The students are receiving good advice, without being told how to do everything. Your teachers are making them think for themselves as much as possible, while they are learning complicated concepts. It seems like just the right balance for young teenagers who are heading to college and/or careers."
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"[The] young lady [I worked with] is truly amazing! She carried herself with so much professionalism and it was delight to work with her. Her understanding of the website editor system is outstanding. She was able to maneuver her way around it as though she herself created the software. Also, I would like to add that [she] has excellent communication skills and I foresee a very successful future for her in whatever she chooses to do in her life. This young lady is extremely responsible, focused, dedicated, detail oriented, knowledgeable and her people skills are superb! As a previous foster parent, [she] will always hold a special place in my heart and I know that anyone that is blessed with the opportunity to work with this brilliant young lady will feel as I do."
-Shirley, Hack the Hood Client
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