This year has been full of growth and transition as I continue my career in education on the Vineyard. I am still working as an Educational Support Professional (ESP) at the West Tisbury School where I assist middle school students in their math classes. I began the process of taking my license exams to become a math teacher and hope to start graduate school in the fall. In addition to supporting students in the classroom, I am one of the adult supervisors of the Student Council which helps to organize community service projects and school-wide events. I also coached the volleyball team last spring, and am assisting in this year’s school theater production of Matilda.

Working in education in the same school and community that raised me has been more rewarding than I could’ve ever imagined. I feel so fortunate to have received such an incredible education as a child, which was integral for my success in college and beyond. I hope to be able to create the same positive impact for the next generation of Island kids. Building a career and a life on the Vineyard as a young adult has not been easy with the increased cost of living and housing shortage. However, not having the burden of undergraduate student debt has allowed me to start this next chapter exactly where I want to be - back at home.

MVYouth’s continued investment in the young people on this Island allows kids like me to keep dreaming to achieve whatever they aspire to. This spring will mark eight years since my family and I learned that I would be one of the first scholarship recipients, and with each passing year my appreciation continues to grow for the impact this support has had on the trajectory of my life.