LYNN — KIPP Academy Lynn graduate Dichanee Lopez credits a local youth program with sparking her interest in college.
When Lopez starts her freshman year at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth this fall, it won’t be her first taste of the college experience.
Lopez, 18, has been with College Bound, a youth program through the Lynn Housing Authority & Neighborhood Development (LHAND) since elementary school.
“It opened my eyes about the opportunities for college,” said Lopez. “It gave us an experience like no other place would give us.”
Lopez is one of five girls who grew up together on Curwin Circle and went through the LHAND College Bound program at the same time, which aims to introduce youth to college at an early age and promote the value of education after high school.
Through the College Bound program, which is part of the LHAND youth program, children and teenagers visit local colleges regularly, interact with college students who also help mentor and tutor them throughout the school year and participate in educational and recreational activities that promote learning, according to Cathy Rowe, the youth director for LHAND.
“By visiting a college campus and interacting with college students, the kids are able to see what college life is like and the benefits of furthering their education,” said Rowe.
All five girls — Kenyeraliz Carrasquillo, Lopez, Marolyn Percel, Yarixza Ortiz, and Alexia Romero — graduated from Lynn high schools and the College Bound program this year. All five have been with the program since elementary school and are good friends.
The program runs out of the LHAND Family Success Center which is located near Curwin Circle. Lopez said the recreation center was the place that students who live in the Circle looked forward to going to after school. Many would then get involved with College Bound, she said.
“These girls all grew up together here in Curwin Circle, attended the LHAND Youth Program, participated in the College Bound program and are all very close,” said Rowe. “They come from great families who have always supported and pushed them to do their best.
“I know they will do great things in their future and we are all so proud of them. It’s been a privilege to have had them in our youth program all these years.”
Carrasquillo, a Lynn Vocational Technical Institute graduate, and Percel (Lynn Classical) will both be attending North Shore Community College.
Ortiz (Classical) has joined the U.S. Marine Corps and plans to take advantage of the USMC education incentive to pursue her degree. Romero (KIPP) will be attending Providence College.
“I’ve known these young women for quite some time and have watched them grow up within our youth program,” said Rowe. “They’ve participated in the program all these years and always worked hard with their school work and extracurricular activities.”
When the five girls were not participating in the College Bound program, Rowe said they were always involved in every aspect of the year-round LHAND youth program activities, such as attending summer camp, serving on the Youth Group Resident Council, volunteering in the community and mentoring younger youth program students.
In addition to graduating this year, the girls were all recipients of the 2020 LHAND Scholarship, Rowe said.
“They always do their best both in and out of the classroom and we are all so proud of them here at the LHAND Youth Program,” said Rowe. “Their focus on education helped them graduate with great grades, earned them a spot in college, helped them receive scholarships and become great role models for younger children in the program watching their path and hoping to achieve the same goals.”
