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SAM'S STORY

Sam_Hifive

I'm resilient and I'm proud to mentor other foster youth.

Giving Back Is in Her Nature

By the time Sam was four, her mother had abandoned the family and her father was incarcerated. Without any family members to take care of her, this California-born girl and her twin brother moved to Ciudad Juarez, Mexico to live with their Abuelita. But when she was no longer able to care for them, the siblings returned to the U.S. and entered foster care.

No longer fluent in English, Sam was terrified on her first day of school.  “I remember the teacher introducing me to the class. Everyone said “hi” to me, but all I could think of was that were probably saying mean things about me. It was a feeling of loneliness I’ll never forget.”

By the time she was in high school, Sam found Pivotal and enrolled in one of our STEM classes. She worked with an amazing Pivotal coach who helped her plan for her future and figure out the college system. And, a Pivotal scholarship provided the financial support she needed to stay focused on schoolwork and even study abroad for a semester!

Today, Sam is married and the mother of a beautiful baby girl. She works as an Academic Advisor with San Jose State University’s Guardian Scholar’s Program, making sure that current and former foster youth receive the support and resources they need to thrive. “I love giving back to these students. Foster youth are resilient and we can do anything we set our minds to,” she says.