John C.

The story of John's journey is one of hardship, despair, and ultimately, hope. He was born in Panama, the fourth of five children. His grandmother somehow managed to save enough money to bring the family to the U.S., so when John was five they moved to New York City.

Those first few years were hard for John and his family. They had no money, and they were all trying to learn English while dealing with the challenges of living in their new environment-including learning how to dress for the snow and bad weather of the northeast. Nevertheless, they were all happy to just be together as a family. John's mother always made sure that the ties between all the family members were solid and secure. And she did her best to raise her five children in their new environment. But with a low income and a lot of responsibilities, John's mother gradually became more and more distraught.

When John was twelve, his family fell apart. His brother and three sisters left the home, thus destroying the family bond that made his home life worth living, and rupturing John's connection to just about everything in his life.

John quickly found a replacement for his lost family-on the streets of his Bronx neighborhood. He soon was able to forge new bonds with the local drug dealers, hustling for them all day and partying with them all night. They accepted his company, and looked after him like a brother.

His newfound life on the streets began to take a toll on his education-a fact that was compounded by the general lack of disregard for students that he experienced at his local high school in the Bronx. His spiraling academic performance just made him feel even more depressed about life.

One day John looked in the mirror and asked himself, "If I continue on this path, where will it lead? To jail, or even to death?"

Shortly thereafter, John ended up at SVS, where he moved into Elm Park East, one of the agency's Youth Residential Services facilities on Staten Island. It was there that he met Quincy Fickling, one of SVS's Group Home Parents. As John relates, "At first it was tough to establish a bond with Quincy, because we often argued about certain issues. But he never gave up on me. My relationship with Quincy gave me what I never had-a true father figure, someone who taught me about walking a straight path and making an honest dollar."

While at Elm Park East, John had the chance to attend one of New York City's top-performing high schools on Staten Island. There, John shares that "I finally learned the difference between a good and a bad school. The teachers at my new school really cared about me, and I was pushed to do my best." In addition, John shared that "At SVS, there was no negotiation about school. They stressed the value of education to the point that you began to see that your future depended upon it. With the encouragement and belief in my abilities that the St. Vincent's staff rained upon me, I felt that there was no challenge I couldn't face. School, plus the great character formation program that SVS provides, has worked for me. The virtues of honor, responsibility, respect, cooperation, and prudence that I learned as a Group Home resident all contributed to the person you see standing before you today."

John went on to graduate from high school, and also to participate in SVS's American Dream Program (ADP). He was accepted into Long Island University where he majored in Finance while working part time as a customer service representative at HSBC Bank. John graduated from LIU last year, and is planning to enroll in HSBC's Regional Management Program and then pursue an MBA.

John sums up his experience at SVS: "There was a time when I could barely imagine myself living the life I have now. St. Vincent's swooped me up from the 'hood like a spaceship on a rescue mission, and gave me a path to the moon. And every day I rest assured that even if I miss the moon, my flight will still leave me among the stars."