When Ray first got connected with Communities In Schools, he was struggling to get to where he needed to be academically. He was behind in credits and did not really have the belief that he deserved more.
Ray learned about some of the programs and resources available to him through Communities In Schools from one of his peers. He began visiting our resource room just to get some food, but he quickly formed a connection with our Site Coordinator, Ms. Passia. Together, Ray began working with her on some of his goals, visiting almost daily. Slowly, Ray’s entire outlook on life changed.
Ray started joining us for mindfulness exercises, which has helped him to improve his mental health and has inspired him to create the life he knows he deserves. Ray even gained the courage to speak in front of an audience of 400 supporters in the community, sharing his story in the hopes of inspiring them to help other students like him.
Now Ray is excelling in his classes, and is even looking to continue his education after graduation to pursue a career in Mechanical Engineering. We are so proud of Ray and cannot wait to watch him as he grows!