Six years ago, I joined Aspire as a Corps member straight out of college. The plan was to complete one term of service and do something meaningful while I planned out an entirely different career path. It wasn't long until that one year service term became, “a second term couldn’t hurt,” before it was simply, “I can’t possibly leave my students, their families, and this team,” by my third. Since then, I’ve had the privilege to grow into a full-time staff member, working with brilliant teammates and serving amazing students every single day. I never expected that what started as “just” a volunteer experience would turn into a career and a community that I’m so utterly proud to be a part of.

Our students are intelligent, creative, resilient, kind, and full of potential. When we told them about potentially losing our Corps members, one of our fourth graders said, “I have $27 in my piggy bank, Ms. Victoria. Can I help?” Likewise, we are also incredibly fortunate to work with families who not only support their children, but who also believe deeply in the work we’re doing together. Their trust and support fuel everything we do. They all deserve everything we can give them, and so much more. With your help, we can continue to provide the high-quality, caring, and consistent programming our community deserves.