When Pathways to College recently selected him to join seven of his peers as a paid Scholar Ambassador, it represented, in one way, the 16-year-old junior’s journey from a shy, unassuming student into a leader.

She was elated that after she was accepted as a Pathways National Scholar, a Pathways teacher recruited a nurse to be a guest speaker in a class session.

Elevating students to a position in which they can compete on a level playing field is what’s currently driving Isaac, who, beginning in 7th grade, taught himself computer programming, after his family couldn’t afford to pay to fix his game console.

Some adults outside Pathways say that 9th grade isn’t as important for college admissions as other academic years. But Taneeyah didn’t listen. Instead, she heeded the opposite advice from her Pathways teachers.

“In all the Pathways materials mailed to me, I felt special. It was counter to the messages I was getting at school. I truly credit Pathways for dreaming alongside me and even dreaming bigger dreams than I had for myself.”

Coral’s courageous choice may very well have been inspired by a lesson she says her Pathways teachers at her Connecticut high school reinforced after she became a Pathways Scholar in 10th grade and started thinking about what colleges she wanted to apply to: “Keep your mind open.”

“That’s just like the Pathways teachers. They knew our population, background, community and were good at connecting with us. Sometimes in Pathways, we just needed someone to talk to.”

Sumwen found herself setting an example for her younger Pathways peers. As a high school senior she said, “I’m able to help them prepare for their senior year.”

Denzel’s two closest high school friends were Pathways Scholars and he says the bond the three of them forged during those sessions has been unbreakable.

He treasured knowledge, but knew he had to — against his own wishes — adopt an outwardly “hard” façade to survive his peers’ bullying.