FINDING YOUR PASSIONS: ALEJANDRA’S STORY
Parents naturally want their children to succeed in school, earn good grades, and follow a path that leads to stability. But success today is no longer defined by academics alone. While classrooms provide essential knowledge, many of the most valuable life skills: initiative, resilience, creativity, communication, and problem-solving. They are often developed outside of traditional school settings. When students are given the opportunity to explore their passions or even start small entrepreneurial efforts, they begin to take ownership of their learning in a way that school alone cannot replicate.
Encouraging a student to pursue something they genuinely care about shifts their mindset from simply completing assignments to actively creating value. Whether it’s starting a small business, developing a skill, or pursuing a personal project, students learn how to manage time, overcome setbacks, and interact with real people in meaningful ways. These experiences build confidence and independence, helping them better understand not only how the world works, but also where they fit within it.
Importantly, this doesn’t mean replacing education, it means enhancing it. Passion-driven work reinforces what students learn in school by giving it context and purpose. Math becomes budgeting and pricing. Writing becomes communication with customers. Problem-solving becomes real and immediate. Over time, students who are supported in this way often become more motivated, more disciplined, and more prepared for the challenges of adulthood.
For many students, passions don’t start in a classroom. They begin in everyday moments, shaped by family, environment, and personal experiences. When parents recognize and support these early interests, they can grow into opportunities for students to develop real-world skills that go far beyond what traditional schooling alone can offer. Encouraging students to explore what they love, and even turn it into something tangible, helps them build confidence, discipline, and a sense of purpose.
ALEJANDRA’S STORY
Alejandra’s story is a great example of what this can look like in action. She grew up spending a lot of time with her mom, especially outside in the garden surrounded by flowers and nature. Being in that environment from such a young age really shaped her interests, and over time she developed a genuine love for it. When she was fourteen, she turned that passion into something more by starting her own faux flower business. Her goal was simple but meaningful. It was to create beautiful, thoughtful gifts that people could actually afford. Today, she sells her arrangements through Instagram and puts a great deal of time and care into handcrafting each one, often working on orders before and after school.
As a tenth grader in the IB program, Alejandra already has a demanding schedule. Between rigorous classes, two sports, and running her business, she stays busy! Through this experience, she’s developed strong time management skills. She once struggled with procrastination, but with guidance from her coach and goal setting, she’s learned how to stay more consistent and balanced. Outside of school and her business, she enjoys playing soccer and spending time with her mom, even finding joy in simple, everyday activities.
Like many young entrepreneurs, she’s faced challenges. She’s been scammed a few times, which was discouraging, but those experiences taught her how to set clearer boundaries and communicate more confidently. What continues to drive her is the impact of her work, knowing that something she created can help someone feel appreciated or loved. Looking ahead, Alejandra hopes to pursue a career in the medical field, continuing her desire to help others, just in a different way.
Her journey shows how pursuing a passion can become more than just a hobby, it can be a powerful way for students to grow, learn, and prepare for their future.
THE VALLEY GUARDIANS LEADERSHIP PROGRAM
The Valley Guardian program is a multiyear coaching program for underserved students in the community. It was created by successful business people in the valley. They got together and formed a non-profit to find ways to fund developmental programs for kids in underserved communities. This program was aimed toward the underserved kids in the valley who have good hearts and have a desire to be successful and be mentored. The kids who are a part of this program have access to all different kinds of services like professional coaches, coaching calls, getaways, leadership education and training workshops, access to professionals in the valley, college and career readiness and more. The Valley Guardian program started with a single school of 6 students, and overtime has grown to 13 schools, 7 districts, and 49 active students. Overall there have been 120 students who have benefited from this program.
The Valley Guardians program offers over thirty online and in person workshops per year. We do many different types of workshops per year including things like arcades, parks, hikes, parties, and online leadership training. Many of the kids who come are not very social and are looking for a place to feel comfortable and be able to meet new people while being themselves. When they come to programs they have a great time. The way we set them up makes kids feel comfortable, whether we ask them what they are interested in doing or set them up to meet new people through social activities at the beginning of each event. The students find they feel connected and accepted through the program.