Evelyn's Story |
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Evelyn was referred to Teen Success, Inc. San Jose by her probation officer after she was released from juvenile hall at age 16. Evelyn had a very challenging upbringing, with a violent, alcoholic, and drug-addicted father and a mother who had to leave them to attend to family members in Mexico for long periods of time. As a result of the chaos at home, Evelyn turned to the streets, drugs and alcohol to cope. She dropped out of school and began getting in trouble with the law. Eventually Evelyn landed in juvenile hall, where she discovered she was pregnant. Evelyn spent her entire pregnancy in juvenile hall. Her treatment in juvenile and the knowledge that she was having a child led her to reassess her life path. There, she began to think about how to make her life, and the life of her unborn child, better. Shortly after she was released from custody in January 2014, she had her son.
Evelyn joined Teen Success, Inc. in March 2014 and enrolled back in school as well. Evelyn was determined to turn her life around. With the support of her TSI Facilitator, Evelyn learned to develop goals and slowly built her confidence to pursue them. Evelyn became a leader in her San Jose group and was an inspiration and mentor to her peers. She was always positive and never hesitated to reach out to help a peer. Evelyn graduated from high school in May 2016. She was a 2016 TSI scholarship recipient and is currently attending San Jose City College. She dreams of being a doctor one day.
A quote from her scholarship application reads:
“I will not stop working towards my goals and I am a very ambitious and determined person. When I don’t accomplish my goal, I don’t feel complete. With the Teen Success, Inc. scholarship I will have a better future for my son and a career that encourages me to keep moving higher than the accomplishment before.”
Evelyn joined Teen Success, Inc. in March 2014 and enrolled back in school as well. Evelyn was determined to turn her life around. With the support of her TSI Facilitator, Evelyn learned to develop goals and slowly built her confidence to pursue them. Evelyn became a leader in her San Jose group and was an inspiration and mentor to her peers. She was always positive and never hesitated to reach out to help a peer. Evelyn graduated from high school in May 2016. She was a 2016 TSI scholarship recipient and is currently attending San Jose City College. She dreams of being a doctor one day.
A quote from her scholarship application reads:
“I will not stop working towards my goals and I am a very ambitious and determined person. When I don’t accomplish my goal, I don’t feel complete. With the Teen Success, Inc. scholarship I will have a better future for my son and a career that encourages me to keep moving higher than the accomplishment before.”
