By Jessica Easthope
Kiara Torres is brave. Whether she’s in the lab or on the field, Kiara doesn’t back down from a challenge. But the bravest thing she ever did was for her future self.
“In public school I wasn’t doing as well as I could have,” Torres said.
In 5th grade Kiara left home to go live with her aunt to get a better education at a Catholic school, Holy Child Jesus Catholic Academy in Richmond Hill.
“Obviously that meant that I was away from my mother, my grandmother and my two brothers so it was definitely tough having to get used to that but eventually I got used to it,” Torres said. “Catholic school helped me so much, I became so much better as a student for sure.”
By 8th grade, Kiara was thriving. She was accepted into The Mary Louis Academy but needed more help to make it possible. That’s when she found Student Sponsor Partners or SSP, a scholarship granting organization that helps students from single or no-parent homes who are living below the poverty line attend Catholic or private high schools.
“Many of our students tell us because of SSP things like participation in clubs or extracurriculars are afforded to them and it’s something that may not be afforded at their local public school,” said Maria Asteinza, communications director for Student Sponsor Partners.
This year, 1,150 students across all five boroughs are part of the SSP program. On average they increase their GPA by 10 points in high school. But the program goes even further for students.
“If it wasn’t for SSP, I would not be in Catholic high school,” Torres said. “I know in the back of my mind, there’s somebody out there who’s counting on me and giving their all for this program just for students like me.”
That person is Kiara’s SSP mentor, Sasha.
“We’re very close. She always reaches out to me. She keeps up with whatever’s going on in my life. I feel like I can tell her anything,” Torres said.
Futures in Education is a partner of SSP, providing half a million dollars every year for students graduating from Catholic academies and moving onto high schools in the Diocese of Brooklyn. Executive director John Notaro says the partnership is a win-win.
“We’re able to stick with our mission of giving scholarship support to families who have a financial need. And we have this extra layer of support that those students get to ensure their success,” Notaro said.
Today Kiara is days away from graduating and moving on to Binghamton University to study biology. Proof that one brave decision can change everything.