December 1, 2020
By Mark Hecker, Executive Director
Last spring, we held a virtual event during which a number of Reach teens spoke to supporters of the organization about their experience with virtual learning. When we brought Diamond into the conversation, there was some noise in the background. Eventually, she had to step away. AJ was calling.
Diamond is an 11th grader. She’s a member of our Reach Leadership Council. A committed and consistent tutor, she makes the time to take advantage of all the supports and activities Reach offers.
AJ is her young son.
But, despite what you might think, Diamond doesn’t consider AJ an obstacle. He’s her purpose – her reason to succeed. She thrives for him…because of him.
Reach’s Program Instructors (PIs) are an incredibly talented group of individuals that support our teen each day.
Mr. Eddie, one of our PIs at Simon, is particularly committed to Diamond. You see, Mr. Eddie has a young child too. So, in addition to talking about school and Reach, they talk about parenthood.
Diamond is an exceptional young woman. But, we know that Mr. Eddie is playing a part by being #AlwaysThere for Diamond – as her PI and as a fellow parent. We know Reach is about more than just reading, and Diamond’s growth as a reader and a leader shows us why that matters to both individuals and families.
We’re so glad they’re both part of our community.
During the month of December, we aim to raise $200,000 to support our ongoing programming. While this year is different, we remain committed to providing comprehensive support to hundreds of students this year. We can’t do this without your support. Please consider making a gift here.