With Respect
"Through my Mission Society experiences, I realized that the only way I could escape the cycle of poverty was through higher education. As a young Dominican woman from the South Bronx, I was not very motivated to pursue college and a career."
   
VERENICE
19 years old, College Freshman, 8th year participant in Mission Society
Verenice's mother is a single parent who is faced with the challenges of day-to-day life in difficult circumstances and the responsibility of raising her daughter alone. As a high school dropout, she didn't fully understand the life-changing impact a college degree could have on her daughter's future. With this background, Verenice could not understand the importance of doing well in school and securing a basic education. After all, her mother was getting by without a high school diploma.
In third grade, Verenice joined a Mission Society after-school program, and her life began to change. She enjoyed program activities and benefitted from the counseling which allowed her to "escape from her chaotic neighborhood." She earned a special place in a Mission Society computer class and learned how to build, fix and program computers. Verenice realized that knowledge was power, and education provides that knowledge.
She wanted to learn more and more. Verenice continued to take advantage of Mission Society programs and joined our Saturday Kids Program. She was selected by our staff to apply for admission to the prestigious Nightingale-Bamford School, where she was accepted. Although she found the cultural transition difficult, Mission Society helped ease her into the new environment and provided financial assistance. She also became a Mission Society Youth Ambassador and represented the agency at community events, while developing her leadership skills and professional perspective. She decided to apply for admission to college.
With the assistance of Mission Society staff, Verenice graduated from a highly-respected private high school and now attends Lehigh University majoring in Computer Science and Business. She volunteers with Mission Society and mentors young girls who are struggling as she once did. She wants to give back to her community by giving young people the necessary skills to gain confidence, pride and knowledge. Verenice said, "New York City Mission Society has changed my life and helped me believe that I am strong enough to achieve anything." And her mother agrees with pride in her daughter's accomplishments and bright future.
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