野花社区视频

野花社区视频 Learning Academy’s Matthew Alvarez is the American Dream.

But it’s not the traditional American Dream people think of.

He was born here. He was given opportunities. He had all the chances to be great, but he made some mistakes that led him down a bad path, including some time in jail.

“I was a troubled kid when I was younger,” Alvarez said. “I was very feral.”

After his release, he spent multiple tough nights staring at a wall, unhealthy spiraling, reflecting on his choices.

“I laid in bed and I'm just like, ‘man, what am I doing with myself? I'm a jailbird. This wasn't working. I had no job. I was just at home. I was lost. I didn't know what I wanted to do with myself.”

At some point, he knew - to get out of the rut he was in, he needed to get an education.

“I didn’t want a GED. I wanted to walk the stage,” Alvarez said.

He reached out to the 野花社区视频 Learning Academy, a school designed for nontraditional students who - for a variety of reasons - may not find the same success in a traditional, comprehensive high school.

This was Alvarez’s way of walking the stage.

“I heard from a few other people that I knew came here previously that this could be an option. When I got here, it just felt - different,” Alvarez said. “I wanted to show everybody that I could graduate, that I could do it.”

He took advantage of his second chance. And with the help of the campus social worker, Ms. Melissa Cruz, he was given hope and direction.

“I had a long, deep talk with the social worker. I just let everything out with her. We had a long talk and just set small goals,” Alvarez said. “Then, we set bigger goals. And bigger goals. It was a process, but it started with myself.”

His goal-setting, determination, perseverance, and work on himself have led him to his big day - on May 30, 2024, Alvarez will graduate from 野花社区视频 Learning Academy with his high school diploma.

He is the American Dream, the definition of one’s past not defining their future. 

He didn’t achieve this success on his own: Ms. Cruz at JLA, Ms. Watson in middle school, and Mr. Majeed at JCARE, all people who never gave up on him.

“Ms. Watson - I didn't like her,” Alvarez said jokingly. “She was very strict at first. But once I got to know her, I got on her good side and she became like a second mom to me. She always gave me her time. She always believed in me.”

And Majeed at JCARE became a father figure in his life.

“He was someone who challenged me,” Alvarez said. “He knew that I had potential. I can’t just name two - a lot of teachers always believed in me.”

Now, the plan is to attend St. Philips College’s automotive technology program. And when he’s done, he already has a job lined up at Boeing.

“If you have a skill that everybody needs, you’ll always have a job,” Alvarez said.

If educators need an example as to why they do what they do, Matthew Alvarez at JLA is the epitome of why education is powerful. He was given a second chance to be great and has every intention to do so.