Ben is a senior in high school and is getting ready for college! His counselor describes him as determined and proactive and his story proves that.

When Ben joined the education program in the summer of 2020, he was behind in credits and starting at a new high school. He was experiencing lots of hardships in his life both mentally and physically with Crohn’s disease. Despite his struggles, he was determined to improve his academic standing and become eligible for a four-year college.

Ben repeated the 11th grade but received 1:1 tutoring and worked really hard to prepare for college, utilizing the support system around him. He applied to ten colleges and universities and is now receiving acceptance letters including from CSU Monterey Bay and Sonoma State University. We are so proud of Ben and can’t wait to cheer him on and support him through his college journey!

Another exciting thing is that Ben’s adoption went through in the fall of 2022 and he was able to change his last name! We rejoice with you, Ben!