Kevin Ramirez is a college freshman at City College of San Francisco, Mission High alum, and participant in MG’s newest College Bound Ambassador program. As an “Ambassador”, Kevin tutors and mentors 5th graders at Marshall Elementary. His role includes sharing his personal journey with his mentees as the first in his family to attend college.
“When I first met Adrian, the student that I most often work with, I asked if he needed help w/homework because he just didn’t want to do it. He was always stalling and trying to take breaks. I thought about cheering him on and encouraging him, so I told him that I would give him a sticker if he completes the assignment. And he really responded to that. I guess he was seeking that. Mostly, I help him develop his English skills and we work on vocabulary exercises.
I really like the kids. For me, it’s kind of like meditation. I love how free the kids are and thinking about that sort of helps me deal with the stress of my own life. I have strong memories of people who helped me going back to when I was 6 years old at Buena Vista. My mentor was Roque. I remember once when we took a trip to Angel Island and I was the only person going in and out of the water all day long. Then I got super cold and started shaking. My friends said that my mouth was purple. Roque took off his coat and carried me all the way to the ferry. I never forgot that experience. I want to give the same type of memories to the kids that I work with. I want them to see me years later and remember me and the impact that I had.
Being a College Bound Ambassador is important because you need to talk early to kids about college because they are the next generation. I always look forward to it. The stipend that I receive will help me to buy books or be my backup if something happens to my financial aid.”