Her interview had concluded a mere three hours ago. Why were they calling? Surely they wanted clarification on some segment of her application. Or maybe the committee was calling to let her know that they would be awarding the scholarship to another student this year.
The seconds between when she picked up the call and when the voice on the other line started speaking felt like days.
Luckily, the voice had good news.
"I picked up the phone and I was immediately overwhelmed with emotion, I started tearing up." Oliveros recalled, "It was an amazing feeling. The thought that I was deserving of such an amazing opportunity was unreal and served as validation for all my hard work throughout the years. It was amazing to have all my achievements and sacrifices recognized."
Gabriela Oliveros, a former LaAmistad Afterschool student and intern, had been
selected to receive a scholarship from the Posse Foundation. A full ride, no less. The road to this life-changing accomplishment was not an easy one, but LaAmistad was there every step of the way in
guidance and support.
"I struggled constantly in school due to my insecurity with my academics." Oliveros recalled, "when I was little I read as much as I breathed which was heavily encouraged by LaAmistad, and thanks to this I was able to develop vocabulary skills which proved to be immensely important. I also struggled in math quite a bit, and I believe that
if I did not have the support and tutoring at LaAmistad I would have been stuck not understanding."
Committed to
George Washington University in the Fall, Gaby plans to double major in political science and international affairs in hopes of impacting the lives of others the way LaAmistad has hers.
"I was inspired to choose these majors because I realized that I want to help others feel empowered and [also] get fulfillment from my job. My internship at LaAmistad showed me how important nonprofit organizations are and the role they play in underserved communities. Because of my internship, I was able to see all the hard work that goes into community outreach and it inspired me to find my path in making a positive impact on a community."
More than a safe, productive space in which to get help with and complete homework assignments, to Gaby, LaAmistad represents a place for personal growth and opportunity.
"It allowed me to explore my interests," Gaby said, "
As I got older I was able to branch out and start taking some leadership roles such as imputing the daily scores that each child got on a scale from 1-5 into a spreadsheet. Mrs. Cat and the wonderful volunteers at LaAmistad offered me an amazing amount of encouragement to go after what I want, and played a key role in building up my self-confidence when it came to academics."
As Gaby prepares for her next chapter, LaAmistad could not be more proud of what she's achieved and will achieve.
Our organizational vision is that every Afterschool student finds themselves in position to continue their education after graduating high school.
For nearly two decades, LaAmistad has worked tirelessly to ensure that students have the tools to thrive academically and
begin a cycle of generational success for themselves and their families. With the season of giving upon us, consider that your gift today can have a positive impact for years to come.
Can LaAmistad students and families count on you?
