When sharing stories about our scholars and their experiences, we often tell you about young people who have been through the system and have found success through their hard work and with Pivotal’s support. It’s important to remember that their journey to that success is often filled with struggles and uncertainty for many of our scholars and it can be difficult for students to open up about the difficulties they may be experiencing in the moment. 

When post-secondary scholar Michelle agreed to share her story with me, I don’t think either of us realized how much she would share. But the day that we spoke was a difficult one for her and I am grateful that she was willing to share her perspective, even on a day when she wasn’t feeling her best. She had recently lost her job and was upset and worried about finding another position. 

Michelle came to the United States on her own as a teenager. She spoke no English, and she struggled with the isolation and lack of support. 

“I don’t really have any family in this country,” she explains, “It was hard learning the language and being bullied in high school because I didn’t know English.” 

While dealing with all this, Michelle also had to work to sustain herself and to help her family back in Mexico. “At one point, I was working 40 hours during the week and another 16 hours on the weekends. So, I didn’t have the time to put effort into school. I finally stopped going. I was just not in a good place mentally.” 

Michelle dropped out of high school in her senior year but eventually decided she wanted to go back. She went to Opportunity Youth Academy (OYA), a program run by the Santa Clara Office of Education to provide students with the opportunity to complete their high school education. She graduated in 2020 and enrolled in West Valley Community College, taking as many classes as she could while still working. 

“I’ve been in the foster care system since I was 17. I haven’t been able to focus on school as much as I would like to,” she explains, “It’s been hard to pursue my education, financially more than anything.” 

Michelle had been working with Pivotal since high school and now that she’s in college, she has a her post-secondary coach to support her.  

“When I first met Michelle, she was somewhat timid and shy,” says Brian Green, Michelle’s Pivotal Coach. “But over time, I’ve seen her grow and adapt, and begin to advocate for herself and I’m just grateful that I have been able to witness that change in her.” 

“Brian is really patient with me,” says Michelle. “He’s been sending me internships and job opportunities as he finds them, as well as encouraging me to continue to work with my therapist.” 

Michelle’s mental health struggles were exacerbated when she was unfairly fired from her job, being let go after speaking up against a toxic work environment. In all the years of working since high school, this was the first time that she had not excelled in her work. She worried that she could no longer trust her instincts. 

“For so long, I felt like the only thing I was good at was work, and I held on to that. So, when I had this terrible experience, I lost confidence in myself. It really affected me and when that happens, I tend to isolate myself.” 

As she continues to work on her mental health, Brian also has been finding Michelle resources for possible scholarship opportunities so she can afford to stay in college.  

“Michelle had dropped out of contact for a while, when she was having financial difficulties,” recalls Brian. “She doesn’t always ask for help because she’s very good at figuring things out for herself. But when we started meeting again, I was able to check into her financial aid and we found some funding that was available to her that she didn’t know about. It made a big difference, and she was able to get back on track at school.” 

In the past, Michelle couldn’t get scholarship funding because she did not meet the GPA requirements but in the Spring semester, she worked hard and improved her GPA significantly so she is hopeful she will be able to continue in school and eventually get the Psychology degree she’s been working toward. She was also accepted for a summer internship with Downtown Behavioral Health, which will help her financially, provide her with relevant work experience, and help her build back some of the confidence she had lost. 

She hopes this internship will lead to other employment. She hasn’t been able to send money back to her family in Mexico since she lost her job, and she worries about them. Thanks to Michelle’s support, her sister was able to pay for her own college education and graduated last year. Michelle hopes that she can soon continue to provide the support they need from her. 

“Even though things aren’t great for me right now, I know that my family in Mexico has more problems than I do.” 

So, how has Pivotal been a factor in Michelle’s life? “I am so grateful for all the coaches I’ve worked with over the years, who have really helped and supported me,” says Michelle. “Brian has helped me get internships, access to the Emergency Assistance Fund, when I needed it earlier this year, and resources that I needed to succeed.”  

Even though she’s going through a difficult time right now, her face lights up when I ask her what she wants for the future. 

“I either want to be a therapist and work with kids or teenagers, or maybe a social worker. I feel like as someone who has been through the foster care system, I was lucky because maybe I didn’t have as bad an experience as other kids have gone through. When I meet other foster youth, it’s hard to see what they go through and having gone through similar things, it really motivates me to do something for them. In a way, I see myself in them and I want to make it easier for them.” 

We use the word ‘resilient’ a lot at Pivotal. It’s a quality that we see in all our students, each of whom is going through their own journey. Michelle came to this country on her own, learned English, got her high school diploma, and is now working on a college degree. She has built a life for herself and a support structure she can depend on. She still has a long road ahead, but knowing she has people in her life who have her back is a comfort to her. We’re proud to be a small part of Michelle’s story and to work with her and so many amazing young people in and from foster care so they can learn, grow, and thrive. 

“I want to say thank you to everyone at Pivotal, and all the donors and people who support you. You guys are really having a great impact on people’s lives. I don’t think I could have done it without programs like yours. I’m grateful for the support, not just financially, which is really important, but also with resources and networking and opportunities for us to grow in our careers and connect with each other and have fun.”