At UMYH it is our firm belief that a person’s past does not define their future. Sometimes, all it takes is a “fresh start” and a steady support system to turn a difficult season into a success story.
For Mateo, a few missed days of school last semester unfortunately spiraled into some difficult habits regarding attendance. When he was placed in our Truancy Intervention Program, our team began looking beneath the surface to see how we could help. We identified that while Mateo and his family speak fluent English, a language barrier still existed in certain complex school situations, making it harder to navigate the system.
From the very first meeting with Jeff, our Truancy Intervention Director, it was apparent that Mateo and his family valued his education. With some extra support from our programs, Mateo has only missed one day of school due to illness, has attended a PSAT meeting to pursue a career in Computer Science, and even called during an e-learning day for assistance to make sure he was able to complete his assignments from home.
We are so proud of Mateo’s growth and his 28 credits that have him right on track for graduation. It is a joy to see a student reclaim their future with such drive and focus. We can’t wait to see where his hard work takes him!