Participating in the I Promise program and attending Kent State University has inspired Daysi Sandoval-Alvarado to take giant steps beyond her comfort zone. Naturally reserved, Sandoval-Alvarado, a native Honduran who was raised in Akron, has pushed herself during her first year at Kent State to meet new people at Lake Hall, where she resides, as well as joining the Salsa Club. Just moving to Kent to attend classes from her Akron home was a big step for Sandoval-Alvarado, who is the youngest child of six in her close knit family. I Promise taught her how to see these challenges as opportunities and meet them head on. And Kent State has provided an abundance of resources, such as tutoring and mentoring, to help smooth the transition to college for the I Promise students.
The Lebron James Family Foundation’s I Promise program supports more than 1,500 Akron students in grades three through 10 through mentoring, college and career preparation and wrap-around family support. Kent State has hosted intensive summer programs in partnership with I Promise and Akron schools to show the I Promise students that it is possible for them to overcome obstacles to attend college and to help them reach their goals.
Since the third grade Sandoval-Alvarado has spent time at summer camps, field trips, tutoring and other I Promise activities with the same cohort of participants, which has been a recipe for success.
Her parents are also a major inspiration, having moved to the U.S. from Honduras many years ago to start a new life. Their story fuels her dream of one day graduating from Kent State to travel the world and produce films.
“Both of my parents inspire me,” she said. “They came to this country to build a better life for their children. They took care of us so it inspires me to graduate from college so that I can take care of them.”