I first met Travar (pictured here volunteering at the 2009 Back2School Blast) when he was eight and he started coming to our sports outreach. I'll never forget driving him home in the van a year later and he asked me to pray with him to receive Christ. As we developed a closer relationship, I found out that his father had been shot and killed and that his grandma was taking care of him and his two younger siblings. His mother would eventually die of AIDS.
Over the years, Travar has received tutoring at our after school program, one-on-one mentoring with our staff, speech coaching from a Board member, and training through our Summer Work Program. By the grace of God and with the help of friends like you, Travar graduated from high school and is now entering his junior year as a pre-law student at Florida Memorial University.
This summer, Travar received a scholarship to attend a month-long Law Camp at Texas Southern University where he studied with pre-law students from all over the country. After he returned to Florida, he stopped by my office to tell me about his experience, which was moving for me to hear:
"My first couple of days there, I felt intimidated because the other students were applying to law schools like Harvard and Princeton, and they knew so much more than me. I felt like I didn't belong there. But I went to the library and kept studying. After a couple of weeks, I began answering questions and understood what I was learning. I looked around the room at the other students and thought, 'I can do this!' It was a great experience!"
This story is one example of how Urban Youth Impact is equipping and empowering our students. I want you to know that it's because of your support that students like Travar are able to say, "I can do this!"
-- Bill Hobbs, Founder & President
Wow. How inspiring!!! I had no idea Travar was doing pre-law! Good for him! We love and miss all of you!!!
~Sarah and Bill :)
Posted by: Sarah Rodriguez | August 19, 2009 at 07:30 PM