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YALC Graduate Reflects on Life Post Graduation

 

Qualia dropped out of high school during her junior year in pursuit of earning money. Many of her friends had already dropped, which shaped her decision to drop out. For the next three years, she worked multiple jobs and felt unsatisfied with her life. In an interview she said, “The struggle didn’t start when I dropped out of school, it started when I was 16 and I got pregnant; I had an abortion and from there I just thought I was a failure.” She admitted that she was the only one standing in her way, but at the time she believed the odds were against her.

Deep down, she knew she should return to school because her future was on the line and she would never reach her goals by continuing down the same path. She signed up at the YALC after her best friend highly recommended the program and staff. Two weeks in, she felt overwhelmed, questioned her capabilities, and dropped out of the program.  

A few months later, Ms. Bryant, the YALC math teacher, called Qualia and encouraged her to join the program again. Ms. Bryant told her that the staff saw so much potential in her based off her performance in the short time she was there. “Once I came here and I met them, they didn’t know me that well, but when Ms. Bryant called me, she touched a soft spot, and I  thought ‘she believes in me, why can’t I believe in myself?’” After rejoining, it only took Qualia five months to learn over a year’s worth of content and pass her GED with flying colors.

Qualia has seen major changes in herself due to her time at the YALC, “I didn’t understand my own determination, my own motivation, until I got here and Ms. Bryant pushed me.” In every class, she saw that the teachers had creative lesson plans that kept everyone’s attention. She was amazed that the teachers were able to guide all students at once, despite students’ varying grade levels.

Since graduating, she has joined  a three week career-readiness program called Career Connections and has landed a 14-week, high-paying internship with AmeriHealth. She is hoping her hard work will pay off and she will be offered a full-time position after the internship. In addition, she has applied to the Hope Project in efforts to get I.T. certified, which will assist her in a future position with AmeriHealth.

Qualia is now dreaming big. She is full of ideas and wants to open several businesses of all types. When talking about her goals, she casually added, “I think I’m going to own a hospital.” Working entry-level jobs after she dropped out, Qualia realized she was playing a small part in somebody else’s dream, and education was the only way to pursue her own dreams. She is now a role model for her younger siblings and older brother to stay in school and continue their education.

Her advice to those who are considering attending the YALC? “You have to want this and you have to put everything aside and be willing to commit to it because this is your future.”

Celebrating 20 Years of the ‘Maya Way

The Maya Angelou Schools and See Forever Foundation celebrated the kick-off of the 20th anniversary at the Long View Gallery this past spring. The cocktail-style party focused on highlighting successes and had more of a party atmosphere than our previous annual events.  

The Board of Trustees, partners, and individuals from the community, such as Karl Racine, DC’s Attorney General, and our co-founders, David Domenici and James Forman Jr., came out to help celebrate See Forever. The celebration consisted of guests dancing, drinking, and sampling a wide selection of international foods from local vendors.

One of the biggest highlights of the night was the senior-gift project, where the goal was to buy every graduating senior an electronic device that could be useful for their post-secondary education and future careers. Guests graciously reached into their pockets and donated $150 per student, which ultimately bought every graduating senior a Kindle Fire tablet!

Main speakers included Board members and kick-off celebration co-chairs, Ross Weingarten and Ben Safran, and CEO Dr. Heather Wathington, who talked about the “Maya Way.” Megan Morgan, a graduating senior at the Maya Angelou PCS, stood up and shared her story and positive experience as a student.

Maya Angelou Academy’s student artwork lined the walls of the gallery, and were auctioned off. All proceeds from the sold artwork went directly to the student. In addition, guests bid on popular silent auction items, including a signed Maya Angelou book and tickets to plays at the Kennedy Center.

Held annually, this event honors community leaders and raises funds to benefit the Maya Angelou Schools and See Forever Foundation. For more information about the event, please contact Leah Lamb llamb@seeforever.org. For media inquires, contact Rachel Malcolm rmalcolm@seeforever.org

Celebrating the Class of 2017

Spring is one of our favorite times of the year because students graduate from Maya Angelou Schools and move on to new and exciting endeavors, whether it be post-secondary education or different work opportunities. Many students did not think they would ever graduate from High School or earn their GED, and some considered dropping out, but with help from their teachers, mentors, and family, they realized their limitless potential and worked hard to graduate this June.

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On June 13th, Maya Angelou Academy celebrated the graduation of four scholars: B. Blackmon, Q. Gilliam, R. Maxey, and T. Gaffney. The Academy could not be more proud of the hard work and dedication the students manifested while at the Academy. The graduation was held at the Gala Hispanic Theater, packed with family, friends, support workers, DYRS staff and MAA staff. A lovely reception for the scholars and well-wishers followed the ceremony, and it was the perfect send off for their “New Beginnings”.

The High School celebrated graduation on the morning of June 16th at the Trinity Washington University. Forty-two graduates gathered in the auditorium. All of their family and supporters cheered as each graduate walked across the stage to receive their diploma. Select students read their student reflections in front of the audience, then Salutatorian and Valedictorian, Breanna B. and Natalie W., introduced keynote speaker Reverend Bill Lee. At the end of the ceremony, the graduates passed the torch down to rising senior class students, Faith and DeQuan. The graduates then danced their way out of the building to take pictures and continue the celebration out on the lawn.

Later that evening, the Young Adult Learning Center celebrated its 17 GED, 20 PACT, and 3 C-Tech Cabling Communications graduates also at Trinity Washington. In front of a standing-room only crowd, these forty students cheered each other on as the Rising Star Award was presented to Icesis Thompson, the Maya Way Award to Kemonie McKinney, and the Valedictorian and Salutatorian medals to Samson Bell and Qualia James. Levi Belt and Bria Jackson, two GED graduates, shared their personal stories of how they overcame the obstacles preventing them from attaining a high school credential in order to finish this year. After the ceremony, families gathered in the Social Hall for photographs, cake, punch, and more celebrating.

This summer at the YALC, Kerry Harrington will be offering an OSHA-10 Bootcamp, followed by a hands-on carpentry program. Students enrolled in the GED program will focus on two academic subjects and hopefully meet with success on the official test. The Seeds for Success program continues with nine students who are working with the Department of Public Works in the mornings and attending GED classes in the afternoons. So after a successful and challenging year, the YALC is ready for more great results this summer!

Warm thanks to all the teachers and staff who mentored, encouraged, and pushed the students to graduate; and to the family members and friends who have supported their student in achieving their goals. Congratulations to all the 2017 graduates of the Maya Angelou Schools!