Meet Aiden

One example of a life transformed by Project Access is Aiden. Aiden is a 19-year-old teen who has participated in our After-School Tutoring and Teen Leadership programs since the age of 7 at our Resource Center in San Jose, California. In addition to being a star athlete and receiving a full scholarship to the University of Redlands, Aiden also worked 30-hours a week at McDonalds during his senior year of high school to support his single mother and his younger brother. His future was completely changed when his mother was diagnosed with cancer, and Aiden put his college career on hold to stay in San Jose and care for her. Despite this challenge, Aiden continues to volunteer and mentor other young teens in the community, and is spearheading the Youth Leadership Committee at the Project Access Family Resource Center in his apartment complex. He continues to work to support his family, and currently attends community college with the hopes of transferring to San Jose State University in the spring to pursue a degree in engineering. Aiden is a leader in his neighborhood and a strong role model for the other youth in the program who are pursuing pathways out of poverty despite facing significant challenges.