New Futures Scholarships, Washington, DC

Eduardo became a father at age 17, attended the Youth Build work study program and earned his GED in 1999. He has now completed five semesters at UDC with a 3.5 grade point average while working part time to support his family. He describes his experience as follows:

“It all began on February 4, 1999. This was the day I first laid eyes on my new born son, Eduardo Jr. This was the day I realized that I had to change my life and make a change for the better. At that time I was already pursuing my GED at Columbia Heights Youthbuild. Youthbuild is a program for young adults ages 16-24 to work towards getting their GED and provided construction training. I can proudly say that I accomplished my goal of getting my GED in June of that year.

During my first year in AmeriCorps I was exposed to people who had graduated from college and are now successfully working in a professional job environment. Being exposed to these people gave me the motivation to want to pursue my own degree in accounting at the University of the District of Columbia.

After I receive my bachelors’ degree in accounting, I would like to go out into the professional world and try to get a job with an accounting firm or, possibly, the IRS. After two years of working, I would like to return to school and pursue my Masters in accounting. I would like to work on opening my own accounting firm and becoming a successful firm. I have applied for financial aid and I will be receiving my educational award for my service in AmeriCorps. With your award, it will help me cover the rest of my expenses and help me reach my goal on becoming a successful accountant.”

Having immigrated from El Salvador, Flor spent three years studying English at the Next Step Public Charter School at the Latin American Youth Center. She received earned her GED in 2001 and received the New Futures Scholarship in 2002. She was a consistent honor roll student at the SANZ School and received her medical assistant certification at the Allied Medical Health Program in 2003. She is presently working at the Columbia Road Public Health Center as a medical assistant, serving her own community of Columbia Heights. She is getting ready to use a second New Futures scholarship to obtain additional education and become a Registered Nurse, continuing to serve her community as a bi-lingual public health worker.

Jacqueline Gomez-Saballoz,
For Love of Children

Jacquie came to FLOC at the age of seventeen. She was pregnant and struggling to balance the stresses of work, school, and a new baby. She soon dropped out of high school in order to support her family, but she never gave up on the dream of completing her education. While working as a supervisor/lead bookseller at Barnes and Noble, she began studying for the GED, and she passed her exam in 2000. She was interested in pursuing a degree in physical therapy but could not commit to four years of college with a child to support. So Jacqueline began researching programs in therapeutic massage and found one at the Heritage Institute. Her case worker nominated her for the New Futures scholarship to help fund her education.

“If I hadn’t gotten this scholarship, I probably wouldn’t have gone to school. This scholarship was a Godsend,” Jacquie reflects. A 2004 graduate of the Heritage Institute, she is now the senior Certified Massage Therapist at Tyson’s Corner Healing Center. Working in conjunction with chiropractors and physical therapists, who refer their patients to Jacquie, she finds her work both interesting and rewarding.

Jacquie is now pursuing a Personal Trainer certificate with the help of a second New Futures scholarship. She plans to use this additional certification to expand her services to her clients and to ensure longevity to her career.

Born in 1979, Keith entered Roosevelt High School on a social promotion. He didn’t deserve to pass 8th grade, but it was obvious his middle school didn’t want to have him there another year. By 10th grade Keith was out. He had been working in custodial services since the 9th grade and continued in that field for several years. In his early twenties he ran into some trouble with the law and was incarcerated until age twenty three. When he came out he realized he had to do the right thing for himself and show his family the type of person he really was. He immediately enrolled in the Latin American Youth Center YouthBuild GED program and soon after, in April 2002, he received his GED. That September he was accepted into the Latin American Youth Center Americorps Program, where he helped teach Special Education at Adams Elementary School. The New Futures scholarship enabled Keith to enter UDC on a part-time basis while continuing to work and support his family. He has maintained higher than a 3.5 GPA while working full-time, and is nearing his goal of graduating with a bachelor's degree in Urban Studies with an emphasis in education.

- We are very sad to report that Keith Hines was murdered on his front porch on Friday, July 18, 2008. New Futures has established a scholarship in his name to be given to a student who demonstrates the ability to truly turn his or her life around and be an inspiration for all of us. To see the 7/24/08 Washington Post article about Keith's life, click here.

After earning her GED from Academy of Hope in early 2005, Dee knew that she wanted to enter the field of cosmetology. After researching schools in the area, she chose Bennett Career Institute in Washington DC because its teaching methods combine in-class learning with intensive hands-on training. Dee received a grant from New Futures in 2005 and started Bennett’s 12-month program in January 2006. She graduated with a certificate of completion in January 2007, passed her DC licensing exam, and is enjoying working in her field. In her New Futures application essay, she wrote:

“I have been given many opportunities in the past that I have wasted because I was undisciplined and unfocused – I am not that person anymore, and earning my GED was what it took to prove it. Now I intend to be the best that I can be at everything I do, because I’ve learned that it’s not our mistakes and how we fall that define who we are, but how well we rise up from them. This scholarship will be extremely important to my future, my career training, and ultimately reaching my goal of being a cosmetologist. It will help me in living up to my potential – the potential others saw in me, that now I know I have. I truly feel that choosing to obtain a degree in cosmetology is to choose not only a job, but also a career in something that I love.”

After graduating from high school, Maya needed money to attend cosmetology school and pursue her ambition of becoming a beautician and eventually owning her own shop. She received a grant from the New Futures in the spring of 2003 and entered the French Institute of Cosmetology in 2003. She received her certification and license and began working in her field. With the help of a second New Futures scholarship, she is now pursing an Associate's Degree in Business Administration from Montgomery College while working at Hair Cuttery. In her application, she wrote:

“This scholarship will help support my objectives in going to cosmetology school by giving me the financial support that I need to complete the course work to get my license and do hair. I have done many of my friends hair, and they like the results. I enjoy doing hair and I also think I would be a good business person. I have visited many salons and have an idea of what it takes to own a shop. My aunt once owned a salon and has discussed with me the need to have a business degree to be successful in owning a business. I know that going to college and technical skill will give me the skills and experience I need to be successful as the owner of a hair salon.”

Michelle Maringe was awarded the New Futures scholarship in 2004. She just graduated with honors from the University of the District of Columbia with a degree in Social Work. She has been accepted to graduate school at Catholic University, where she plans to pursue her master's degree while working in her field.

"Helping those in need has always been my passion, and this is why I decided to get a degree in Social Work. This field is very wide so there are many ways in which I will be able to help those in need. Society has done a great deal to help me as an individual. Because of this, I feel it is my obligation to give back what I have taken so that the circle of helping others will continue. I want to be a productive member of society who helps the economy to grow, rather than one who helps it to collapse. In order for me to connect the needy with resources and find solutions for victims’ problems, there is a lot I need to learn. I want to know the best ways to assist my clients. This information and knowledge can only be obtained through a higher education."

Sandra Martinez came to this country with her sisters to meet her mother for the first time. With no English and without knowing who they were meeting, she met her mother for the first time at age 10. She grew up in Washington, DC, had a baby at age 17, and still managed to graduate from high school. Since then she’s worked full time in Washington while going to school part-time for Nursing at Prince George’s Community College where she is pursuing her LPN license.

Kairo Vivas was born in Managua, Nicaragua, and came here with his parents when he was two years old. Kairo attended DC public schools and received his high school diploma from Woodrow Wilson Senior High School. He then attended Montgomery Community College where he obtained an A.A. in General Studies. Kairo did not stop there; he transferred to the University of Maryland, College Park where he graduated with a B.S. in Family Studies. Kairo has a full time job as the Exhibits and Education Coordinator for Amazonia Science Gallery at the National Zoo in Washington D.C. Kairo says, “growing up was hard with limited resources and with parents who worked hard, but knew little English. I worked hard to make my parents and all who believed in me proud”. Now, that Kairo has reached this milestone in his life, his goal is to give back to the community and make a difference in the lives of youth just as many have done for him. He is now making plans to enroll in graduate school in the fall to obtain a master's degree in social work.

"The New Futures Scholarship allowed me to get my associate’s degree at Montgomery Community College and then finish my bachelor’s degree at the University of Maryland College Park without me having to pay anything out of pocket. If I would have never received the New Futures Scholarship, I believe I would be in the same position except that I would be only half way done and struggling to pay off school cost."