February 2016 Junior Alumnus of the Month
Full Name: Yeysi Rodriguez
CHCI Program: 2015 R2L NextGen Program
Current School: Cardozo Education Campus
Hometown: Washington, D.C.
Yeysi Rodriguez was born in San Miguel, El Salvador and immigrated to the United States with her family in 2013. Yeysi has made it her mission to do well academically by maintain a high GPA and earning a place on the honor roll each term, all while learning English. She is a proactive young leader that pours herself into her community and strives to set a good example for her younger sister and peers.
As a junior at Cardozo Education Campus, she participates in a program called LISTO, which helps to build character and leadership skills. She is admired by her peers and teachers for her hard work and success. She was elected by her peers to the Cardozo Education Campus Student Council, serving as a class representative. She has been actively involved in community organizations such as the Latino Student Fund (LSF) and the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), a community organization that helps immigrant families. She also volunteers weekly at the Latin American Youth Center (LAYC) to support recent immigrant families as they transition to life in the United States. In the fall of 2015, Yeysi was selected to participate in the First Lady’s Mentorship and Leadership Initiative at the White House, an accomplishment that has made her family very proud.
Yeysi aspires to attend a top university to study political science and public affairs. Following her university studies, she plans on getting involved in community organizations to improve the rights of immigrants in the United States. Yeysi mentioned that the R2L NextGen program helped her get one step closer to achieving her goals by immersing her in the political world and furthering her understanding of how different government organizations function . “Participating in the R2L NextGen program inspired me to keep going and make a difference in my community. I learned that no matter what difficulties we face, we have to voice our opinion in order to make change,” she said.
The CHCI familia is proud of all Yeysi has accomplished and is looking forward to the impact she will continue to have in her community.
To support dynamic students like Yeysi Rodriguez and CHCI’s programs such as R2L NextGen, please visit: http://www.chci.org/donate