High School Graduation Archives - Alternatives For Girls

Girls and Young Women Set Goals for the Future: To prepare for the new school year, girls and young women at AFG have been getting help to set their goals!

Oct. 31 2019 | Tags: Asset Building Project, High School Graduation, Prevention

This month, the girls and young women in AFG’s programs have been setting and working towards new goals for the school year! Luz, a high school senior and member of AFG’s Asset Building Program, is making big plans for her future.

“My main goal is to get accepted to college,” she shares. Luz is applying to many colleges, including Notre Dame and the University of North Carolina.

Going to college is a big accomplishment for Luz, and her family. “I want to fulfill the goals that my parents had for themselves. They wanted to go to school, but they didn’t have the choice to. For my future, I know having an education will help me,” she says.

Luz is working hard to meet her goal. She completed several early applications, has filled out her FASFA, begun applying for scholarships, and has met with representatives from universities so that she can learn what they offer.

Thanks to your support, Luz received support and guidance to reach her goal. “I was confused and didn’t know what to look for in a university. But with AFG’s guidance, they helped me narrow down the list and criteria I was looking for.”

Through AFG’s Asset Building Program, Luz has opened her own college savings account and has started saving money for college. “It has helped me plan to set aside money for my college savings. Before, I never did that!” Luz also participated in AFG’s recent college tour in Chicago! During the trip, she visited several colleges and she was able to speak with women from different professions to gather insight.

“I know going to college will be a big change,” she says. “But I know I will experience so many things that I haven’t yet!”

Thank you for supporting the goals of girls and young women, like Luz. It makes a real impact!

“I did it!”: AFG’s high school graduates share their struggles and triumphs

Jun. 3 2019 | Tags: High School Graduation, Outreach, Peer Education, Shelter

This spring, young women from AFG’s programs are graduating high school! Because of your support, they each received the help they needed to stay focused on their education, earn their diploma, and make plans for the future. Below are a couple of stories from this year’s high school graduates.

Ready for the Future

Meet Yasmine. Yasmine is 17 years old and has been a participant in AFG’s Peer Education program for two years. “High school was challenging at times,” Yasmine recalls. “During my junior year, I transferred to a different school. I was scared at first because I didn’t know anyone and the classes were harder.”

When she needed help with her homework, Yasmine knew just where to turn. “AFG helped me get tutoring in math when I was struggling,” she shares. This fall, Yasmine will be starting her first year of college, where she plans to study social work!

Now that she’s almost done with high school, Yasmine says she will miss her friends and seeing her favorite teachers every day. She is looking forward to the independence that college will bring her, “I’m looking forward to living on my own,” she smiles.

As a soon to be high school graduate, Yasmine had plenty of advice for her younger peers, “Don’t hang around with negative crowds. Be around people who make you laugh and smile! And do your work!”

A Bright Future

Meet Jamica. Jamica has been a resident in AFG’s shelter since last year. “In the beginning, high school was hard. I didn’t have classes I was interested in and struggled to stay focused,” Jamica explains. “My senior year was even harder, because I missed a lot of school.”

Since Jamica came to AFG’s shelter, she has received support that has allowed her to catch up on her school work. She was able to get all the credits she needed to graduate this spring! “AFG also helped me pay my senior dues, and they helped provide me with school supplies and clothing,” Jamica recalls.

During high school, Jamica discovered the classes she liked best were the ones that allowed her to work with her hands. Recently, she had the opportunity to go to a trade conference where she learned about different trades and career paths she could follow. “I really enjoyed learning about tiling!” Jamica exclaims. Jamica had a lot of advice for her younger peers, “Stay on top of your work! And make sure you work before you play. Get into different activities, and don’t work yourself too hard. Have fun!”

The High School Graduate with a 10-Year Plan

Jun. 29 2018 | Tags: Afterschool Program, High School Graduation, news, Prevention

This month, high school seniors everywhere were counting the days until their graduation day. Graduating from high school is an important milestone for every young adult, but for some, the path to graduating is filled with obstacles, like homelessness or violence in their communities. Despite these challenges, with your support the young women at AFG get the help and resources they need to walk across the stage with their peers. For the 18th year in a row, 100% of the high school seniors in AFG’s Prevention Program did just that.

Eboni is one of these graduating seniors. She is just 18 years old but already has a 10-year plan. “I plan to study cosmetology so that I can get a job that will help me to earn money to pay for college. First, I will got to a local community college to study my prerequisites. Then, I plan to transfer to a university to study Psychology, get my master’s and doctorate. Finally, I will open my own private practice,” Eboni recites. She’s committed these goals to memory. A step by step plan for her future.

Bumps in the Road

Her road for the future didn’t always seem so clear. “There was a time in 10th grade when I wanted to drop out. Things were bad, and I felt like giving up,” Eboni recalls. A dedicated teacher convinced Eboni to stay in school, but her struggles did not end there. “My senior year was harder than I thought it would be. I picked up two jobs and it was overwhelming at times.”

“I don’t know where I would be if I hadn’t found AFG.”

Eboni started coming to AFG’s After-School Program during her junior year. “I don’t know where I would be if I hadn’t found AFG,” Eboni shares. “AFG has helped me on so many levels. From helping me improve my confidence, to helping my family when we needed extra support. AFG has been one of my biggest support systems these past two years.”

Looking Forward to the Future

Thanks to your support, Eboni is now a high school graduate with big plans for her future. Although she is looking forward to the next chapter, there are some parts of her high school experience that she will miss. “The thing I will miss most about high school is being around a group of people who have so much ambition,” Eboni says of her fellow classmates. “We’ve watched each other grow into who we are today.”

Although she will miss some aspects of high school, Eboni is looking forward to a lot, especially having a flexible schedule. “I am looking forward to having control over how I spend my day and organizing it how I want it to be instead of having to be in school for eight hours a day,” she shares.

You Help Girls & Young Women, Every Day

Year after year, girls like Eboni come to AFG, and get the support they need to stay focused on their education, graduate high school, and make plans for the future. AFG has added the “Asset Building Program for Education and Opportunity” focusing on middle school girls that provides, not just the opportunity to open a college savings account, but also access to additional specific supports, such as mentoring, in order to help prepare them for post-high school education academically, financially, and socially. Your support makes this possible. Thank you for believing in the futures of girls and young women.

A Graduation Story: One of AFG’s high school graduates shares her struggles and triumphs

May. 31 2017 | Tags: Afterschool Program, High School Graduation, Prevention

This spring, high school seniors everywhere will be counting the days until their graduation day. Graduating from high school is an important milestone for every young adult, but for some, the path to graduating is filled with obstacles, like homelessness or violence in their communities.

Despite these challenges, young women in AFG’s programs get the help and resources they need to walk across the stage with their peers. We are happy to report that for the 17^h year in a row, 100% of the high school seniors in our Prevention Program will be doing just that! Below is a story of a young woman preparing for her next chapter, as a college freshmen.

Making the Grade

Meet Anayeli. Anayeli is 18 years old and has been a participant in AFG’s After-school Program for the past four years. “Freshmen and sophomore years were easy. Junior year and senior year were stressful! I felt like I needed a week and a half just to do my nightly homework,” Anayeli recalls.

When she needed help with her homework, Anayeli knew just where to turn. “The homework help and all of the staff and volunteers that helped, made a big difference. Right now I have a low grade in English, but I’m working on getting it to an A or B for my last report card.”

Looking Forward to the Future

AFG has also helped Anayeli decide which college to go to. “Coming to AFG helped me decide to go to college and see which ones I wanted to go to. We took field trips to visit colleges. I applied to two of those places and got accepted to one of them!”

Now that she’s almost done with high school, Anayeli says she will miss hanging out with her friends every day. But, she is looking forward to the flexibility that college will bring to her daily schedule, “I’m looking forward to not being at the same school for 8 hours a day. In college, you get more breaks!” she smiles. After she graduates next month, Anayeli plans to attend college in the fall and begin a pre-nursing program so she can become a nurse one day.

Graduation Stories: AFG’s high school graduates share their struggles and triumphs

Jun. 2 2016 | Tags: Afterschool Program, High School Graduation, leadership, Prevention

Despite these challenges, young women in AFG’s programs get the help and resources they need to walk across the stage with their peers. Last month, you met Tarra, a young woman determined to succeed. Below is our second graduation story which highlights a young woman with big plans for her future.

A Lifetime of Support

Meet April. April is 18 years old and has been a participant in AFG’s Prevention Department for the past 12 years! During her time in AFG’s programs, April received educational support in the After-School Program, had fun learning how to dance, garden, and more in the Rise N’ Shine summer camp, and found her voice in Young Women Changing Communities (YWCC), a youth leadership program. “YWCC helped me break out of my shell and feel confident about using my voice through becoming a group facilitator,” April explains.

Ready for the Future

April also credits AFG for helping her stay focused on her education and her plans for the future. “AFG has helped me solidify what career path I’ll choose by connecting me with an OB/GYN job shadow opportunity,” April reflects. April has been accepted to her top four college choices and hopes to attend University of Michigan this fall. “I plan to major in Cellular and Molecular Biology, with the intentions of becoming an OB/GYN,” she shares. And with the support of AFG, April is now prepared to be whatever she puts her mind to.

Graduation Stories: AFG’s high school graduates share their struggles and triumphs

May. 4 2016 | Tags: High School Graduation, Homeless Youth, Outreach, Prevention, Shelter

Despite these challenges, young women in AFG’s programs get the help and resources they need to walk across the stage with their peers. We are happy to report that for the 16^th year in a row, 100% of the high school seniors in our Prevention Program will be doing just that!

This spring, we will be sharing the stories of the young women at AFG who are graduating and beginning the next chapter in their lives. Below is the first story of a young woman determined to succeed.

A Different Path

Meet Tarra. Tarra is 20 years old, currently a resident in AFG’s Shelter, and will be receiving her high school diploma this June. “I was supposed to graduate in 2014, but I did not. I was influenced by the wrong people and I decided that school was not as important at that time, so I didn’t go. But now I’m ready.”

Tarra has been at AFG’s Shelter for a little over a month, and since then, she has been focusing on finishing her high school classes at a nearby charter school so she can finally receive her diploma. “[AFG] provided me with the motivation to want to get up and go to school every day,” Tarra shares, smiling. “High school has been really fun! It’s motivated me to want to graduate, and to get a job.”

A Bright Future

After she graduates, Tarra plans to attend a local community college and become a nurse. “I might be an RN or a traveling nurse – you get to travel to different cities or states where hospitals need nurses,” she explains. Until then, Tarra can’t wait to receive the diploma she worked so hard for, “[I’m looking forward to] grabbing that diploma, seeing my friends and family, and finally getting it done!” she exclaims.

Participants Share Their Graduation Stories

May. 29 2014 | Tags: High School Graduation, Outreach, Peer Education, Shelter

It is graduation season for our high school seniors so we sat down with a few participants to talk about their high school experiences. Of course, each path to graduation is different. Each of our girls has a different story; each had her own struggles and her own accomplishments. These are some of their stories.

Brittany

“English is my favorite subject because I get to learn about all of the different stuff that has happened by reading the plays, like Hamlet”, Brittany shares. Brittany is a Peer Educator (PE) in AFG’s Outreach and Education Services Department. An honor roll student, Brittany says she will miss her peers now that high school is over but is looking forward to finding a job and getting her own car.

Although Brittany worked hard to get good grades throughout high school, she admits that there were times she struggled in doing just that. “The work is (typically) easy, but at times it can be challenging. Some of the classes I got, like accounting, were hard”, Brittany recalls. Through these difficult times, Brittany says that her coordinators and fellow PE’s played a role in keeping her moving forward, “They motivate you to stay in school and make sure you’re on the right track”.

Brittany has succeeded despite these hard times and is proud of herself for being an honor roll student and getting good grades. After she graduates, Brittany has plans to pursue a career as a Pediatrician by studying at Wayne County Community College and Wayne State University. As for the incoming freshmen who will be starting high school next year, Brittany has some words of wisdom for them, “It’s a good experience. You learn a lot about friends, school, work, and boys”.

Taija

Taija is a Shelter Aftercare participant who is also attending the Transition to Independent Living (TIL) classes here at AFG. As a senior getting prepared to graduate, Taija says her favorite class is Personal Finance and the thing she will miss most about high school is learning.

Taija’s path to graduation included becoming pregnant with her daughter. “When I was younger I didn’t get great grades, since I’ve been a senior I’ve been making better grades. I think my daughter has motivated me”, Taija explains. “When she grows up, I want her to get good grades in school. I don’t want her to do bad like I did”, she continues. While pregnant, Taija was a resident in AFG’s shelter and was determined to keep school a priority, taking the bus to get there and back every day.

Since leaving the shelter, Taija has continued participating in AFG programming by joining the TIL classes. “I joined the TIL group because there was more I could benefit from, like scholarships”, Taija shares. After she graduates, Taija is currently deciding between attending a trade school to become a nurse’s assistant or joining the National Guard. “The National Guard can help you with your life, you have to get up every morning and be dedicated. I think I can do that”, she explains. In addition to her future career plans, Taija is looking forward to getting an apartment, a new job, and taking care of her daughter on her own.

Alternatives For Girls is proud of all of the graduates and wishes them the best of luck in all of their future endeavors!