Peacebuilder Isaiah takes Jamie from Trauma to Trusting Relationship to Transformation
My name is Corey Smith, and I am the Education Coordinator at COMPASS Youth Collaborative. I am a proud Hartford native and a graduate of Weaver High School and Goodwin College.
Before working at COMPASS, I worked as a behavioral tech and special education teacher in the East Hartford School system. When the opportunity to work at COMPASS became available, I knew I had to take it.
Many of the youth in our program are disconnected from education; others are under-credited or overaged and at risk of dropping out. My job as Education Coordinator is to reconnect them to education, whether in traditional classrooms, earning a GED, or obtaining licenses and attending trade schools.
I work closely with COMPASS Peacebuilders, getting to know each youth and understanding the obstacles keeping them from succeeding.
One of the youth I am working with is 18-year-old Rosie. Rosie was a student at Hartford Public High School. She did not attend school regularly, and when she was there, she got into fights. Rosie was not on track to graduate; she was under-credited, and because she was 18, she was able to withdraw herself from school.
Rosie’s Peacebuilder, Tot Dixon, asked me to help find a way for Rosie to reach her goal of a high school diploma.
It took Rosie a little time to open up to me. The best time to talk to her was in the car when I picked her up to come to the center. At first, she was quiet, but the more we drove, the more engaged she became.
We discussed the barriers that were keeping her from going to school and why she had a difficult time when she was at school. She told me that she really wanted to graduate, but Hartford High School was not the right place for her.
Rosie needed someone to advocate for her, someone who understood how to navigate the education system and help her overcome the barriers keeping her from success. Working with Hartford Public Schools, I was able to advocate for Rosie and find an alternative school that was a good fit. She began school this fall.
Rosie really enjoyed her art classes, so we encouraged her to pursue an internship where she could use her talents.
Rosie is working on making up her credits and has an internship where she uses her artistic talents. Tot and I continue to meet with Rosie a few times a week, supporting her and ensuring she is sticking to her plan to reach her goals. We are proud to say Rosie is on the honor roll, and for the first time, she feels like her goal to graduate is within reach.
I know Rosie still has some work to do to get on track for high school graduation, but with Tot and me in her corner, I know it is possible.
Because of our supporters, we can help youth like Rosie change the trajectory of her life. But Rosie is not unique. There are many more youth in Hartford who, like Rosie, are not on track to graduate high school.
With your help, we can impact the lives of more youth like Rosie. I hope you will consider donating to COMPASS today. Click here to help COMPASS build a community where our youth feel safe, live peacefully, and have the opportunity to reach their full potential.
Wishing you and your family all the best this holiday season,
Corey Smith
Education Coordinator
