
The Teen Center was the first place where Mercedes could give her brain a break from all of her stress. She volunteered, hung out with other young people who were kind to her, and found a confidante in the Teen Center coordinator.
The Teen Center coordinator asked if Mercedes was willing to set one goal for herself: to improve her English grade. Mercedes agreed. The coordinator and volunteers worked with Mercedes on her homework, and her English grade went up from an F to a B! In the meantime, Mercedes talked with them about how to respond when someone treats her poorly, or when she’s frustrated with authority figures like her parents or teachers. Like her grades, Mercedes’ attitude both at school and at the Teen Center has greatly improved!
Mercedes is doing much better this semester. She looks forward to coming to the Teen Center to get help with her schoolwork and a break from the stress at home and at school – it’s made all the difference for her to have a safe place to count on every day.