2020-2021 Words Alive Westreich Scholars!

This post was written with help from Nia Lewis, a Words Alive volunteer! Do you love writing and have an interest in helping Words Alive create this type of content? We'd love to have you on the team! Email to learn more.

Here at Words Alive, we're incredibly excited to celebrate our Westreich Scholars for the 2020-2021 school year! The Weistreich Scholarship aims to support graduates of our Adolescent Book Group program through the struggles they may face as they pursue their higher education goals. Our scholars for this academic year are Destiny, Andrea, Ulises, Marcia, Esther, and Antonise! We all deserve to pursue our passions through education, and our scholars exemplify how a little support can go a long way.

Andrea, one of our second year Scholars, recently transferred to George Fox University in Oregon to study sociology. She persevered through a difficult home situation during her freshman year and is now thriving at her new school! Andrea first became involved with Words Alive through the Adolescent Book Group at her high school in freshman year, and she became very close with her Words Alive mentor, Sonya, through the Westreich Scholarship program. She continues to stay in touch with the Words Alive team, and she is one of the true embodiments of the goal of this scholarship — to support students so they can flourish in all of their educational plans. You can learn more about her story here.

Even after they graduate from our programs, we know that our scholars continue to make a difference. One of our alumni, Lexi, studied Social Work at San Diego State University and is now a case manager at SAY (Social Advocates for Youth) San Diego! Recently, we were thrilled to work with her to get hundreds of books into the hands of the kids that her organization serves.

All of our scholars continue to prove that within each of us lies a fighter and a conqueror. Each one has had their own unique struggles to overcome, but has learned and grown so much through their determination to successfully transition to higher learning. They are incredible individuals, full of perseverance, passion, and determination. With help from the Words Alive Westreich Scholarship through financial, professional, and mentor support, we are so excited to see what they do in their next chapter.

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Andrea is a returning scholar and a student at George Fox University. She is studying Sociology.

“With the way I grew up, I feel like I could give back in a way with this degree.”

Antonise is a returning scholar and a student at San Diego City College. She is studying Information Security.

“It may be scary, I may stumble along the way but I can’t always waste my life worrying about the what ifs. Helping that student, I acknowledged that fear was my weakness and once knowing that I can grow from this flaw to become a stronger, better me.”

Destiny is a returning scholar and a student at Cal State Bakersfield. She is studying Criminal Justice.

Marcia is a returning scholar and a student at San Diego City College. She is studying Ultrasound Technology.

Esther is a returning scholar and a student at Palomar College. She is studying Sociology.

Ulises is a returning scholar and a student at Point Loma Nazarene University. He is studying Graphic Design with an Illustration Concentration.

“I learned how to handle myself better and how to reach out to friends and mentors. I learned to speak up and ask for help when I need it and not to be ashamed of it.”

Introducing Plot Twist: Stories From the Words Alive Community

Welcome to our new blog series, Plot Twist! Here, we'll be sharing the stories of people in the Words Alive community — stories of change, growth, and maybe a few surprising twists! We hope that through these stories, you'll get to know our community a little better and see the power of literacy come to life.

Meet Andrea Vazquez! She is one of our second-year Westreich Scholars and recently transferred to George Fox University in Oregon, where she studies sociology. We wanted to talk to Andrea about her educational journey so far and learn what it’s been like to start at a new school during the pandemic!

Andrea in her new dorm at George Fox University!

Andrea is 19 and first got involved with Words Alive through the Adolescent Book Group at Monarch School in her freshman year. Before she graduated, she applied for and received the Westreich Scholarship!

For her, the most rewarding part of being a Westreich Scholar was her mentor, Sonya. “We got along very well, and even though our lives were a little different, there was one common thing that we had, and it was that our parents just expected a lot more of us than we can give. It was really nice to be able to vent to someone who could completely understand me.” Sonya’s experience working in a school was valuable as Andrea explored options for her future: “We would go out to eat, and try to figure out what my major could be, what I could do with school, if I needed help with any of my essays.”

Andrea and her mentor Sonya in 2019.

Andrea began her college journey at a local school as a biology major, but over time, found that it wasn’t the path she wanted to pursue. “I realized that it’s not that I hate biology, but I was just doing it because my family wanted me to do it.” When she took a sociology class about the problems of society, she discovered a new passion. “It was just amazing. With the way I grew up, I feel like I could give back in a way with this degree.” 

“I was working and taking care of my family and going to school full time so that really took a toll on me.”

Back in her senior year of high school, Andrea was accepted to George Fox University but ended up turning the offer down. “I said no, because I needed to help my mom out. I felt bad leaving,” she says. But focusing on her schoolwork was difficult that first year. “I was working and taking care of my family and going to school full time so that really took a toll on me and I didn’t do so well in a lot of my classes.” When she received a letter from George Fox saying that she was still welcome on campus, she decided to take the opportunity to transfer. As she planned her move to Oregon, she told herself, “I guess we’ll see if it’s just me not being good in school, or if it’s my environment.” 

“It was my environment,” she concludes firmly, five weeks into the new school year. With more time and space to dedicate to her education, she is happy to report that her grades have improved. She pointed to a recent test as an example: “I just took a math test, and I’m not the best at math, and it really showed last year. But I actually got a B+ and I was really proud of myself! It made me realize that this year will be a lot easier than before.”

Still, it’s no small feat to change schools and move to a different state in the midst of a global pandemic. Many aspects of the quintessential college experience are missing, replaced by COVID restrictions. “I can’t leave my room to go shower without a mask on!” Andrea says, laughing. “I just expected to get sent home. I was really scared at first, because I thought it was just going to be taken away again, and my freshman year got taken away already.”

But she has no regrets about moving. “Obviously it gets stressful, but I can take all day and just focus on myself instead of focusing on other people and only having half an hour to myself to do homework, which is really, really awesome.” She loves the kind professors and the small class sizes at George Fox and is excited about the opportunity to reconnect with her faith at a Christian school.

A screenshot of Andrea from our Zoom call.

Andrea appreciates being able to keep in touch with Words Alive throughout this transition. “When I first moved in, [Jess, our Teen Services Program Director] was like, ‘How is it?’ and I was like, ‘You remembered!’ It’s been really nice to hear from people, and actually know that they’re listening to what I’m doing.”

Reflecting on what she’s learned about herself through this journey, Andrea spoke about the importance of self-care and prioritizing her education. “Putting myself first matters sometimes. In situations like this, this is my education that’s going to determine the rest of my life, so it’s important. It’s okay to be selfish.”

“Putting myself first matters sometimes. In situations like this, this is my education that’s going to determine the rest of my life, so it’s important. It’s okay to be selfish.”

In the future, she says, “I really want to help people and be able to give back to my community. Our world is really crappy right now, so I want to be able to help be the change for that.” One of her biggest goals is to be able to give back to Monarch School because of the difference caring, understanding teachers and adults made in her life as a student there.

Andrea, we’re so proud of you for taking this step towards reaching your goals. Congratulations on your transfer, and we can’t wait to see how you change the world in the future!

Finding Your Passion in College

By Grace Larsen, Guest Blogger

Image of a person standing in the middle of a library aisle, looking at a book that they are holding open.

College can be daunting for many students as there is a lot of pressure to be “career ready.” Words Alive previously explored what exactly that term means, and it entails having the tools to obtain a job after graduation as well as being prepared to pursue apprenticeships and on-the-job training. Of course, all that is easier said than done. In order to be career ready, one must have a clear picture of the future they want to begin with. 

Therein lies the problem: for many of us, knowing what we want to do before stepping into college is far from easy. In fact, according to figures by the National Center for Education Statistics, about 80% of college students change majors at least once. Another study found that students who started out in mathematics and natural sciences are more likely than others to make a switch. Each student has their own personal reasons for changing majors, but a common denominator is that they realized a little too late that their interests lie elsewhere.

All in all, switching majors has its pros and cons. One advantage is that you’ll be more satisfied knowing that you pushed through with exploring the path you really want. Changing majors also widens your knowledge of other areas of study because of the fact that you’ve taken classes in more than one department. However, the biggest con is that your college expenses can very easily rack up. Another is that you won’t be able to graduate on time, and will be spending more time in school instead of embarking on your career. 

This is why guidance counselors and teachers grill high school students about “finding their passion” so early in life: so that they can pursue their chosen fields and stick with them until graduation. Unfortunately, aiming to discover one's passion is actually the wrong mindset. To better understand why, let's take a look at a study by psychologists from Stanford University and Yale University, which points to two different theories. The “fixed theory of interests” is the idea that core interests are there from birth and are just waiting to be discovered. Meanwhile, the “growth theory” posits that interests are something that a person cultivates over time. 

These psychologists explain that students with the first mindset may waste their time skipping opportunities and foregoing lessons that aren’t aligned with their previously stated passions. Also, if a person is told that their interests are ingrained, they may easily give up on learning certain topics because of the belief that these don’t align with their predetermined interests.

Therefore, high school students shouldn’t start college applications thinking about finding their passions, but rather, to develop them. With the second mindset centered on growth, one can increase their knowledge in areas outside of pre-existing interests. In contrast to those with a fixed mindset, they would then form connections among new areas and the interests they already have. 

For a start, Maryville University provides some key pieces of advice on how to choose a degree program or area of study. They emphasize the importance of knowing a particular field’s median salary, projected growth, and the percentage of bachelor’s degrees awarded annually. Information like this can help you check whether you see yourself in a particular field years from now. You can then proceed to researching school options as well as other things like costs and location.

Again, it's important not to feel overly pressured to know for certain what you love and will continue to love in the future. It’s healthier to believe that passion is something that you create. This helps you tackle your chosen field with a more determined approach, and shapes how you will learn along the way. College may expose you to a number of challenges and obstacles, but a growth mindset can keep you focused on building your passion.

Learn more about our work with college students through the Words Alive Westreich Scholarship program here!