As anyone sponsoring a student in the Rise Program (formerly the Scholarship Program) will tell you, our students are AWESOME. Exhibit A: Did you know that 53% of Rise Program graduates are now helping to pay for their younger siblings’ education? Incredible.
These kids are really STELLAR human beings who are reaching their potential thanks to you. But have you ever wondered how we find students with such potential in the first place? Find out below! (And when you’re finished with the infographic, be sure to read the incredible story underneath it.)
Ready to meet the students?
These kids will knock you off your feet with their smiles, dreams, and incredible stories of resilience.
So there you have it! We do everything possible to make sure that the students entering our program are those who most need the help and will take full advantage of it.
Last month during a staff meeting our program manager Katie told us about one exemplary student that she met during step 7 of the process (the home visit) this year:
When Katie and CoEd staffer Marleny arrived at Melvin’s house, he, his siblings, and his mother Marta came out to greet them, but his father Luis was nowhere to be found. When Katie and Marleny asked for Luis to join them, Marta disappeared into the back room. A few moments later she reappeared, lifting her husband by the armpits to carry him into the room. He trembled and shook, his feet stumbling over the dirt floor of Melvin’s house. Marleny jumped up to help carry him and the three made their way to sit down. “I feel guilty about every meal that I eat because I haven’t helped to put that meal on the table,” Luis said, sobbing. The family wiped away tears as he explained that he had been unable to work for four years because of an undiagnosed condition that makes it impossible for him to walk on his own.
Katie and Marleny looked at each other, not knowing what they could possibly say to ease the family’s pain. Then, they looked at Melvin’s grades. “Look!” Katie exclaimed. “Clearly your presence and support are helping your son to succeed—these are incredible scores! We have never, ever seen scores this high.” Melvin beamed and jumped to his feet. The entire family sat up a little straighter and by the end of the visit, everyone was smiling:
There are lots of kids like Melvin waiting for sponsors like you! Help them break the cycle of poverty forever!