Matthew, 18 years old, Original from New York City, Attends New Heights Neighborhood Center in Washington Hghts

My name is Matthew. I am eighteen years of age. I was born in New York at ST. lukes hospital. I currently live in the Bronx. I am a nice person a person who is kind and understanding, as well as hardworking trustworthy and reliable. I dropped out of high school because like anybody I got mixed with the wrong crowd and I did not have the motivation to go back. I have a number of goals that I would like to accomplish in the near future. I want to finish my ged classes, get a job and go to college. The GP program will help as person to grow as person because it open my eyes to see what is really around me and help to appreciate what I have and how good I have it compared to others.

Justin, 21 years old, Originally from New York, Attends New Heights Neighborhood Center in Washington Heights

My name is Justin. I am 21 years old. I am from New York. I have two siblins an older brother, and a younger sister. I live with my mother, and siblins, and my two aunts. I am half Dominican and half Trinidadian. I recently passed the G.E.D test. I took the test twice before getting the passing grade. I have many qualities my best one is that if I have to take the leadership role I won’t have a problem in taking it. I believe that by partaking the Global Potential program would help me to find myself. It will be a good experience that will teach me new things about life and how to survive with out the things that I am used to, like my cell phone, and the internet.

Now, that I have my G.E.D I have more opportunites to succeed in life. In the near future I would like to go to college and to work with technolgy.

Stephanie, 21 years old, Attends New Heights Neighborhood Center in Washington Heights

My name is Stephanie; I was born on January 29, 1988. Im a 21 years old single mom and I live in Manhattan with my family {mother, sister & son}.

My son’s name is avatar and he is eighteen months old; my pride & joy. Right now, I am attending New Heights. Im trying to get my G.E.D. and get my diploma, since I didn’t get it in high school. I am trying to take advantage as much as I can of all the resources that new heights has to help me accomplish something in life . I believe that participating in the Global Potential Program will help me to learn new things for a better future for me & my son. Also in reaching the goals that I want in life, my life……………

Paola, 19 years old, Originally from the Dominican Republic, Attends New Heights Neighborhood Center in Washington Heights

My name is Paola. I am 19 years old. I was born in Santiago, Dominican Republic. I have two younger brothers and an older sister. I came to the United States at the age of three. I grew up in Washington Heights. I love spending time with my family and friends, and one of my favorite hobbies is going shopping with my friends. One of the most sadest moments of my life was when my friend past away, when I was in seventh grade. Through that experience of losing a friend I learned a lot of things, like how to appreciate life and all the good things that I have. High school was a different stage of my life and t he reason that I decided to drop out of at the age of eighteen was, because it was too far away from home and I didn’t really like the school and the students that attended it. After I dropped out of high school; I started working in a shoes store, but then I decided that I needed an education and be someone better. One of my friends told me about New Heights; how they help young adults get prepared to get a job and their GED. Thanks to New Heights I feel more confident in myself and that I could accomplish all my goals in the future.

Kelbyn, 22 years old, Originally from New York City, Attends New Heights Neighborhood Center in Washington Heights

My name is Kelbyn. I was borned in New York City and I am 22 years old. I am a very unique person. I like to go out and just walk around to get a better view of things. I used to live in Florida for the past two years. My family decided to move out of New York to try something new. Recently, we decided to come back to New York, because we really did not like there.

The reason why I dropped out of high school was because I was to busy having fun with my friends and I never went to class. I was always hanging out in the hallways just chillin. Now, I am doing what it is right for me. I am attending New Heights Neighborhood Center to obtain my GED.

My goal for the future is to go to college and become a nurse. I also would like to have my own little family. I believe that by participating in the Global Potential program, I will be able to help people in need and give back to my own country.

Joel, 19 years old, Originally from New York, Attends New Heights Neighborhood Center in Washington Heights

My name is Joel and I am nineteen years old. I was born here in the United States. My parents are originally from the Dominican Republic. I was raised like any other child. At the age of fifthteen I was sent away to Florida because of my bad behavior. As a New Yorker I felt weird being there. I did not know anybody and I wasn’t familiar with the area. I spend most of my high school years down in Florida. Little by little I got to meet new people and know the area as well. At the age of seventeen I moved back to New York.

In this present time I’m living in Washington heights. I am now trying to get myself together so I am attending New Heights Neighborhood Center to obtain my GED, in order to go to college. I believe going to college will open more doors in the future and will allow me to succeed in life

Ilianna, 19 years old, Originally from Manhattan, Attends New Heights Neighborhood Center in Washington Heights

My name is Ilianna, I’m 19 years old and I’m from Manhattan. I grew up in a neighborhood call Washington heights where I grown to know myself. The way people know me is by Lily that would be my nickname. Also, my family is from Dominican Republic in an area called Santiago, Licey. I believe that I’m a very active person and willing to do anything positive to help out the community. My favorite place in the world would be my home. I think that being at home with the people I love, make me feel safe and happier.

Gregory, Attends New Heights Neighborhood Center in Washington Heights

My name is Gregory Capote, and I am a U.S citizen. I live in Washington height, where mostly of the residents are Dominicans. I think it is a nice place to live. My mom is Dominican and my dad is Cuban. I have two children that I love and work hard for. For me being a father an early age has been pretty hard, but I am happy with it. I am a creative person, since I was a child I love to draw. My dream is to become an artist. Right now, I am working on getting my G.E.D. My goal is to pass my G.E.D and go to college and to have a good job for me and my family.

Dionisio, 20 years old, Originally from the Dominican Republic, Attends New Heights Neighborhood Center in Washington Heights

My Name is Dionisio R. I am 20 years old and I was born in The Dominican Republic in the city of Santiago but was raised in a small town near by called Villa Bisonó, usually known as Navarrete. At the age of three I left to New York City to live with my father in Manhattan. I am a responsible and reliable person. I also enjoy playing the Piano, making music, playing sport, video games and more. Recently, I started attending a GED Program at New Heights Neighborhood Center. I left high school was because I didn’t have enough credits. Global Potential will be for me a great opportunity to get some expirience and to help others in need in the country I come from.

Diana, 17 years old, Originally from Washington Heights, NY, attends New Heights Neighborhood Center in Washington Heights

My name is Diana and I’m 20 years old. I was born in this country. I live in Washinghton Heights a community in where most Dominicans reside. I live with my parents and my two older brothers.

At the age of eighteen I dropped out of High School. The reason why I stopped going to school was because it was too far from my house and I had to take a train and a bus every day and I got tired of it. When I first heard that there was a GED center in the neighborhood, I decided to enrolled myself. I have been attending New Heights for the past months. My goal for this year is to get my GED and go straight to college. My dream is to be a nurse to be able to help others and my family. I believe that participating in the Global Potential Program would be a good experience in my life because it would help me to become a better person.

Daritza, 19 years old, Originally from the Dominican Republic, attends New Heights Neighborhood Center in Washington Heights

My name is Daritza and I am 19 years old.

I was born in San Francisco de Macoris a city in the Dominican Republic. I came to the United States when I was 5 years old and I did my first year of school here in the Bronx. My father got sick so, my family and I had to move back to the Dominican Republic and three years later we came back to New York. I started attending Harry S Truman High School in the Bronx and by the middle of my sophomore year I began to cut classes. I would just hang out around the local mall, go home, friend’s houses, and I just got addicted to be out of school. I could not focus in my classes anymore so, I went several times to my school counselor and all she did was to put my record in front of me. This situation made me feel worst and useless and I decided to stop going to school. On my junior year I transferred to the Bronx Academy; which I felt it was very different from my previous school. It was a big different 3,000 students compare to 200 students.

At home things did not change much, everyday I could not leave the house without having an argument. I could not bear this situation anymore and I went into a bad depression. I felt like if my entire world was falling apart. I don’t know why, but I was scared to go out of my house and I stopped hanging out with my friends . I also stopped going to school and officially dropped out. I left my job for two weeks feeling more useless in this planet. Then, I came across New Heights by a friend who is part of the program. Before, coming to New Heights my mind was completely blank. With the help of New Heights I started making my plans for the future. I want to get my GED diploma and go directly to college to study forensic Medicine.

I think Globlal Potential is a great opportunity, since they believe that I can do anything I put forward myself to do. Also, they will give me the help and support that I need to be someone useful to my community.