Angelica Cavazos

Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program – 2013 Essay Contest

Winner: High School Second Place

View printable PDF version of her winning essay

Angelica Cavazos
11^th Grade, Odessa High School, Odessa

Since I became a tutor, I’ve actually loved it. I only thought I was going to be close to the kids who I tutor, but actually I became close to all my little kindergartens and even the teacher. The Coca-Cola Youth Program is a great program. We tutors are teaching our tutees everything they need to know and what we know. I loved all my little kindergarteners. I hate that the end of this year I’ll have to stop tutoring them. It just kills me. I don’t think you all will understand why I would hate to leave. These kids run up to me and hugged me every day that I go. Every day you’ll hear Angelica! Angelica! Angelica! And one day it’s just going to stop, and I probably won’t see them ever again.

Ever since I became a tutor I do have my favorites, the reason they are favorites is that they’re the ones who grew close to me. One of my favorites is Sophia*. She became like my little sister that I never got to have. She tells me everything; we always make each other laugh. We got these signals that will make us laugh. She’s like the sweetest little girl ever. It’s crazy how close we are, we are very inseparable. She stopped being my tutee because she finally learned everything she needed to learn. We talk every time I go, but it’s sad she isn’t my tutee.

I have my favorite little boys, James and Javier*. They’re just the best little boys. They are the funniest boys ever, and I’m glad to be their tutor and teach them what they needed to learn. I’m glad they know their alphabet, numbers and shapes. It might have been rough for them to learn, but they got through it.

The Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program is the best program, I love it. I would recommend people to be in it. It’s just a great experience. If you love little kids, then get in the Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program.

The Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program, created by IDRA, is an internationally-recognized cross-age tutoring program. Since its inception in 1984, the program has kept more than 33,000 students in school, young people who were previously at risk of dropping out. According to the Valued Youth creed, all students are valuable none is expendable. The lives of more than 787,000 children, families and educators have been positively impacted by the program. Contact IDRA for more information or see the program website.

Valued Youth Partnership

Angelica Cavazos

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