For many students today, the distinction between being accepted into college and having the resources to finance it can be the difference between obtaining a degree and never making it past the registrar’s office.
As a teen-father and a P4K first-generation college student, Daryesse understands the power of a good education and the necessity of good financial planning. Thanks to P4K’s college access curriculum, Daryesse is now confident in his abilities to navigate a FAFSA application, differentiate a Pell Grant from a Stafford Loan, and determine what funding plans work best for him.
When Daryesse first joined Partnership 4 Kids he was in the sixth grade, and he had no idea that an after-school activity would be so integral in helping him get to college. “I knew it was educational, but I thought it was just something to do after school,” he says. He soon realized that P4K was more than just an extra-curricular activity. “It’s like being a part of a family that looks out for you,” says Daryesse.
By the time he reached high school, Daryesse started to fully understand that the goal of the P4K program matched his own definitive goal-college. “The staff really cares about us and our education,” Daryesse explains. “They are concerned about whether or not we are going to college and they are willing to push us to our fullest length.”
Now attending Midland University, and majoring in Psychology, Daryesse hopes to one day have his own practice. “I love people and working with patients as a psychologist would fulfill my dreams,” he says.
Daryesse is genuinely grateful for all that he has learned in the P4K college access curriculum and for all that he has gained from being a part of P4K. “I’m very thankful to know that someone in this world cares about me.”
