Meet Our Neighborhood College Graduate

Neighborhood Homework House (NHH) is more than honored to have a former NHH student, volunteer, and Alumni Coordinator, Vanessa Pedraza, graduate from Cal-Poly Pomona with a Bachelors of Arts in Sociology with a concentration in Social Work. Vanessa was the very first person in her family to have crossed the stage this past Sunday afternoon. Vanessa joins Chris Chenet and Emilia Ayala in the network of many more NHH youth to become college graduates in the City of Azusa.

Vanessa's ambition and vigor was highly reflected in her 11th grade summer vacation when she decided to undertake some college credit courses at the University of New Mexico. She graduated from high school in 2012 and began the Summer Bridge at Citrus College. There she was part of EOP&S where she frequently met with counselors to help guide her towards an on-time transfer. Sure enough, she transferred to Cal-State Poly Tech University of Pomona within two years.

This past year at Cal Poly, she interned at an Early Childhood Center where she put into practice skills learned in her coursework. Vanessa had experience working with children and families when she volunteered at Homework House for two years in the Elementary Program. Additionally, she learned to engage her own peer group when she became our Alumni Coordinator. Vanessa has demonstrated the ability to show leadership, mentor her own peers, and is a responsible and supportive person. She will continue to go to many other places, but will forever be a part of Neighborhood Homework House.