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Instilling Hope: Full Circle from Scholar to Coach
A big part of a Pivotal coach's role is to understand the challenges their scholars face as they move through their educational journey. Often, before a student can focus on academics, they have to overcome significant obstacles such as housing, mental health issues, or financial concerns. In addition, nearly every young person from foster care is managing trauma at some level, which can impact their lives in many ways. Students sometimes have trouble focusing and withdraw from social or...
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Celebrating 35 Years of Impact: Vanessa's Journey
Vanessa Payne was in our very first cohort of 11 scholarship recipients, more than 20 years ago. Like so many Pivotal scholars, her path was not always clear. While she was in foster care, she had close to 17 different placements and the constant upheaval meant she struggled to complete high school. When she finally got her GED, she applied for and received a Pivotal scholarship. Although she had hoped to go to college, she wasn’t in a place where she could focus on academics and ended...
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Zack: From Student to Peer Leader
When Zack started with Pivotal’s STEM program many years ago, he quickly discovered that he had a knack for programming and problem solving. He soon became a peer leader, working with other students to help them troubleshoot problems and eventually teaching workshops on his own. Today, Zack runs his own small business, teaching elementary school students how to code and make games. He talks about his Pivotal...
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Toni: A Future Lawyer Set on Changing the World
Success means different things to different people. For some, it’s graduating from high school or landing a dream job. For others, it’s having the opportunity to build a stable family. Whatever our scholars define as success, Pivotal strives to get them there. And every time we check in with past scholars and see how far they’ve come, we know we’ve done our job. In our “Where Are They Now?” series, we’re catching up with four Pivotal Alumni to share...
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Marshal: Overcoming a Life of Vices to Help Others
Success means different things to different people. For some, it’s graduating from high school or landing a dream job. For others, it’s having the opportunity to build a stable family. Whatever our scholars define as success, Pivotal strives to get them there. And every time we check in with past scholars and see how far they’ve come, we know we’ve done our job. In our “Where Are They Now?” series, we’re catching up with four Pivotal Alumni to share...
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Jennifer: Discovering a Passion for Healthcare
Success means different things to different people. For some, it’s graduating from high school or landing a dream job. For others, it’s having the opportunity to build a stable family. Whatever our scholars define as success, Pivotal strives to get them there. And every time we check in with past scholars and see how far they’ve come, we know we’ve done our job. In our “Where Are They Now?” series, we’re catching up with four Pivotal Alumni to share...
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Cicero: Building a Stable Family for His Daughter
Success means different things to different people. For some, it’s graduating from high school or landing a dream job. For others, it’s having the opportunity to build a stable family. Whatever our scholars define as success, Pivotal strives to get them there. And every time we check in with past scholars and see how far they’ve come, we know we’ve done our job. In our “Where Are They Now?” series, we’re catching up with four Pivotal Alumni to share...
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The Family I Never Had
By: McArthur H., Pivotal Alumnus
PUTTING ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER
“In my darkest moments, Pivotal has given me a sense of belonging. They are the family that I never had.”
When I met Pivotal, I was later on in my life, and in my third attempt to pursue a college degree. Despite the challenges I’d faced as a foster youth, I promised myself one thing: That no matter what, I’d get myself to a 4- year university. It was a tough time for me, though. Over...
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From Internship to Employment: Pivotal Is My Bruce Wayne
by Tommy Nguyen, Pivotal Alumnus
Pivotal is like Bruce Wayne - a silent guardian for foster youth. They supported me through my Bachelor’s in Business Administration and helped me get a summer internship at Comerica Bank. And, that internship turned into a job that I love!
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Words from our Scholars!
by Christine Salinas, Manager of Grants and Communications, and Tom Fandre, Senior Business Development Manager
We’re so proud of our graduating college seniors! While the pandemic changed many things in the lives of our Pivotal scholars, not even Covid-19 could stop Naeim, Farhad, Latif, and Diana from achieving their goals. Below we offer some Q&A with these four stellar scholars.
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Meet Monserrat
By Janelle Blakely, Director of Development
Incredible is how I describe Pivotal scholar, Monserrat. Inspired is how I felt after I sat down and talked with her.
Monserrat is very educational-oriented, a lover of learning and school. A first-generation college student, she will make her dreams a reality when she attends UC Santa Barbara this fall!
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