Health & Fitness
Help Local Students Like Hanna Realize Their College Dreams
This year, twelve students, including Hanna Guerrero, in the CBO program earned a college degree, but hundreds more in our community need help. Please keep CBO in mind as you make your end of year gifts and change a scholar's life.
Six years ago, going to college seemed largely out of reach for Hanna. She didn't know where to begin the college application process. Her parents struggled to help because English isn't their first language, and their education didn't go past middle school. Hanna was very unsure of how to fulfill her college dream, but she did not give up. Fortunately, Hanna heard about College Bound Opportunities and was accepted into the program. Today, her journey is nearly complete as she prepares for her college graduation in March.
Through the guidance of CBO and its volunteer mentors, the scholars in the program are graduating from college at a rate of 97%. Because most of the students in the CBO program are low income and first-generation college students, many of these kids would have bypassed college. CBO is giving these students the confidence to be successful in college. "I have learned to believe in myself and trust in my capacity to achieve great things," said Hanna. "CBO has always been there to tell me that I could meet any challenge head-on." Through the support provided by CBO, Hanna will earn a degree in journalism from DePaul University. She also partook in an internship with NPR in New York and with Telemundo in Chicago. " Thanks to CBO, my life has been a series of firsts, and I'm ready for more as I transition to a professional career," she added.
Hanna will join eleven of her fellow CBO scholars to earn a college degree this year. In just a few months, a new class will be accepted into the program and will begin their journey towards a college degree. CBO is fully supported by private donations from the community. You can help more local students like Hanna realize their dreams of going to college by making a donation before the end of the year. "I can honestly say that where I am today is because of the generous support of people in the community," said Hanna. Go to http://cbo4success.org or call 847-943-9226 to help a student today.
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About College Bound Opportunities:
College Bound Opportunities (CBO) is a not-for-profit organization centered in the ten communities within Deerfield and Highland Park High School District 113 and Lake Forest Community High School District 115. CBO identifies high-achieving but under resourced young people who, without support, would likely forgo post-secondary education and assists them in applying to and completing college. CBO goals are achieved through a program of one-to-one mentoring between volunteers and scholars. Additional aid provided by CBO includes tutoring, training services, laptop computers, and up to $4,000 per year in financial support. Learn more at http://cbo4success.org.
