SUCCESS STORIES — Sean, age 21

Sean says he used to give his teachers “hell.”That is almost hard to imagine today. Now in college, Sean is studying psychology and so far his lowest grade has been a “B.” Sean says he went to school to play basketball, “but now I've found out that reading books and learning new things is more exciting than scoring buckets and pleasing the crowd.” Although still quite a crowd pleaser, Sean's dream is to be a high school counselor and to open a group home—“one designed for kids, where kids are really treated well.”

While he was on probation, Sean participated in the Squires Program and even served on the San Francisco Youth Commission. Unlike many youth, Sean was able to transfer back to a “regular” high school after attending a continuation school and graduated from Balboa High School. Because of his demanding school and work schedule these days, Sean has had to stop working with the community-based program Straight Forward Club, where he had been working on and off for the last several years. Sean has helped teach a number of different classes there, including fitness classes and street awareness classes for other youth. Last year, the Volunteer Auxiliary helped pay for Sean's stipend at Straight Forward Club through our Internship Program. Sean has volunteered there, even when they could not pay him. Ben Bautista, Sean's supervisor and mentor at Straight Forward Club, says “Sean is a true testament to how someone can overcome adversities. He's come a long way. He is really trying to make it. He has people trying to help him, but it is going to take a real job to give him the resources he needs to succeed.” Sean has already demonstrated that he has both the skills and the determination to make it. We are wishing him all the best.

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Dominique, age 17
Sean, age 21

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