A Letter From Our Founder
Dear Reader,
The stories of the young people who come through the doors of MY TURN’s drop-out prevention and intervention programs are often harrowing. Challenging economic situations, unstable home lives, court involvement, teen parenthood, repeated educational failings—the kids we serve across nine communities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire have often experienced tremendous strife at a young age. Particularly around the holidays, I am reminded of one such story—not at all unlike the stories of the thousands of other youth MY TURN has served over the past 26 years—but one that represents the hope MY TURN is able to provide for youth as they make gateway decisions in their lives. Hope that is made possible through the generosity of people like you.
Ashley, a young teen from Brockton who came to MY TURN, spent one Christmas Eve in the car where she had been living for five weeks. Because of a difficult family situation, she felt that living in the car was safer than being at home. She relayed the facts of her terrible story as calmly as I would discuss the weather. She was not looking for pity or sympathy. She was just answering a question I had posed to her during an interview for a MY TURN scholarship—just one of many facets of our program that helps deserving youth secure a high school diploma or GED and go to college—where I asked her to relate an example in which she faced a difficult obstacle or situation and what she did to resolve it. She said that she had faced lots of difficult obstacles in her life, but this was the one of which she was most proud.
Although I was shocked to learn of her circumstances, she asked me not to make a “big deal” out of it. After all, she was still going to school every day. She had it “under control.” She didn’t want to go to a relative’s house or a shelter out of the area because she had promised her little sister that she would graduate from high school. She said couldn’t leave the area without it affecting her grades and graduation. She said she had a plan go to college, to become her sister’s guardian and to find a place for them both to live while she went to school.
I was speechless. Statistically, kids who face circumstances like Ashley aren’t the typical success stories. But this time, it was different. This time, we had an enormously capable young woman, motivated by her love for her little sister, who, now, with the support of MY TURN, was surrounded by people who could help her reach her goal.
That’s exactly what we did. With the help of our network of community collaborators, we managed to protect Ashley and her sister and find temporary housing for them both, all while providing her with the case management, academic tools and support needed to help her graduate on time.
Unfortunately, there are thousands of young people out there facing the same obstacles as Ashley, and many don’t make it on to graduate from high school. But every day for the past 26 years, MY TURN has worked tirelessly to give each young person we serve an opportunity to achieve their dreams.
Now, more than ever, we need your help. Demand is greater and resources are fewer. During our preparation for the Downtown 2K Walk4Kids, we ask that you think of Ashley and so many others like her who depend on MY TURN. We ask that you help us achieve our goal of raising funds to directly support the youth in your community. There is no such thing as a small gift—any and all are appreciated. Please click here to find out how you can donate.
Many thanks, and have a safe, happy and healthy spring.
Paul Protentis
Founder and Volunteer CEO
P.S. Ashley got the scholarship. She attended college in the Boston area. She graduated from college, and last we heard, she was working for a social services agency.