The Valley Guardians want to help children realize and grow into their potential. That is why we are proud to partner with the Leadership Society of Arizona. They work with students to create a personal improvement plan and give them steps to help guide them to their own success.
One of these scholars is Jessica Javalera. Jessica has taken full advantage of the Valley Guardian Executive Leadership Program and today we are thrilled to share a student success story about overcoming loss and finding the power to persevere and overcome.
Who Is Jessica:
A born-and-raised Phoenician, Jessica is currently a sophomore in High School. When she first joined the Executive Leadership Program, she was a shy and soft-spoken teenager. With a deep connection to her family and heritage, she is determined to pay it forward and be a success for her family!
July 2020 was extremely difficult for Jessica, after the loss of her grandfather who she was extremely close to. Jessica’s close-knit family was able to comfort and depend on each other to make it through this challenging time. Despite the tragic loss of her grandfather, Jessica is working hard to make her family proud.
The Power of Mentorship
In a world of noisy distractions, Jessica is a focused and determined scholar with big dreams. Jessica’s success shows the value of hard work and how much of an impact that mentoring can make for children to tap into and reach their full potential. The Leadership Society of Arizona knows the importance of one-on-one mentoring and teaching scholars how to overcome problems. Like a fish to water, Jessica flourished under her mentorship with LSA.
Not only does she participate in the leadership programs she is also an avid teacher to her own friends and family. She often shares her findings and teachings with others, while also finding ways to get others involved and working on their goals. Jessica says the program has helped her most with recognizing how to identify opportunities and take advantage of them and figure out who she is and what makes her happy.
Jessica has made her family proud in qualifying for a program from the Boys and Girls Hope Foundation, that provides tuition for the students in financial need so they can attend prestigious private high schools. Jessica is currently going to Xavier College Preparatory where she is excelling in all her classes (GPA 3.8). She is continually looking into the future and trying to improve herself to be ready for any opportunity that is available to her.
Jessica continues to find new goals and ways to improve. When asked about her active goals, she said: “I have been working and trying to improve on time management, getting out of my comfort zone, and using a planner. I have been struggling to manage my time to be able to do the things I enjoy in my free time because school takes up my time with the homework assignments. This is one of the reasons why my goal is to use a planner to be able to help me organize my time. I also have been very shy and timid, which makes it difficult to interact with others and be able to give them advice when they need help. I enjoy helping others.”
Jessica Success
“I am proud to be coaching Jessica as I have learned so much about her which has helped me gain an insight about what motivation, dedication, and hard work truly looks like. Jessica is a bright student who strives to further her education and excel along the way. I am thankful to be working with Jessica and get the chance to know her story.” Said Sarah Alsaeedi, Jessica’s mentor with LSA.
The Executive Leadership Program is helping scholars set and reach their goals for their own growth. Jessica’s story is a shining testimony to the Valley Guardians’ mission of arming children with the tools for success.
“The Executive Leadership Program is about helping children tap into their full potential. It is about giving them the tools to drastically change their own lives and to build our community. Jessica is a perfect example of the powerful impact this program has. ”– Loren Howard, President of the Valley Guardians, 2021
With the help of the Valley Guardians and the Executive Leadership Program, Jessica was able to see the value of working hard, having a vision, and making her goals a reality!
