Three Tutor-Mentors weigh aspirations and obstacles.

Three recent Root 2 Rise Tutor-Mentors say the program was instrumental in their considering a career in teaching, although each is on a different route toward that goal.

“Root 2 Rise gave me the confidence to continue when I felt lost and doubted that I could go on,” said Martina Sancristobal.

Cquemiah Clark Richmond said she felt ”completely unwanted” at high school and “was on the verge of getting kicked out” without graduating before she found Root 2 Rise.

 “I felt I had nothing going for myself,” she said, and worried if she could avoid the pitfalls that had led to the incarceration of both parents. Often, she didn't leave the house unless she had to do so. “No one was there for me, not even my own family,” she said. “I was nobody. Now, I want to believe in myself enough to start college.”

Ethan Xiong will attend college this fall to major in business, although now, due to his experiences in Root 2 Rise, he is also considering a career in teaching. His parents want him to pursue a career that’s likely to offer higher pay, Xiong said. His aunt, a teacher, told him the rewards of teaching outweigh any downside.

Xiong felt teachers were “very supportive and willing to help.” Sancristobal and Richmond felt many teachers intended to help, but were too busy to do so.

“I would ask for help, but it was all talk and no action,” Sancristobal said. She couldn’t help noticing the disparity between the difficulties she experienced in planning to attend college compared to other students who had help preparing for the ACT exam and completing forms, in addition to having family financial support for college.

All three were disappointed in help provided by high school counselors, who they felt were overworked.

Sancristobal said she didn’t struggle academically, and therefore wasn’t seen as needing help. “My counselors didn’t know about my deeper and more complex problems. I also felt that I was stigmatized if I didn’t have plans to go to college.

Root 2 Rise encouraged me to continue during times when I wondered why I should bother,” she said.

Sancristobal works part time and has enrolled in a community college. She worries about incurring debt, and doubts whether she and a friend can find an affordable apartment so she no longer has to live with her aunt and uncle.

After several years of working full time as a Special Education Assistant for the Madison Metropolitan School District, Richmond has saved less than $1,000 and plans to take a second job. She lives with her mother. She doesn’t have a driver's license, and doubts whether she has the time or money to attend college now unless Root 2 Rise Thrive can help.

“I know I can attend college if I believe in myself,” she said.