Being apart of Year Up's community is a wonderful experience. It is a chance to be able to find your self worth. Many people may not feel apart of a lot of communities, but at Year Up we come together as a whole. We are all different people, different personalities and mind frames, but we all have common goals in life. One very important goal that I know we all wish to accomplish and will accomplish, is to be successful. Nobody is forced to be apart of this community. We were given this opportunity for different reasons but I believe the prime reason is because staff at Year Up know that we want to be successful and they want to make sure that we do succeed. I enjoy knowing that we are all here to accomplish something. That shows that we are serious about our future and which direction we want it to go. I can't say I dislike anything about the people in the community. We are all different and I'm still in the process of getting to know everybody. Being that we do come from different communities, this can be a disadvantage as well as beneficial. Working together and going into the professional world, we have to learn how to control our attitudes. For example if one doesn't agree with what someone else in the community is saying, there are other ways to address the issue rather than getting upset or snapping at that person. We are all working progress and as with everything, this may take some time getting use to. I understand that throughout this process will come challenges, but as a community we can overcome them and move forward.

What are some of the things you learned about yourself as a student or a professional in Module I? Did you surprise yourself in any way? Were you proud of yourself? Were you at all disappointed in yourself? Why?

In Module I, as a student and a professional in the making, I have learned that I can do anything that I put my mind to and that giving up is not the answer. This module wasn't easy but I didn't give up. Although I may have missed a few assignments, I still continued to do my work and even asked questions. This is something different for me because in high school if there was something I didn't get at all, sometimes I wouldn't even bother. Throughout the Module, there were times I felt like throwing in the towel but I didn't. I've come to recognition that I can do it and I will succeed. I've also learned that I don't have to necessarily change my entire being to maintain professionalism. I'm not surprised with myself because It's not hard code switching and focusing on something you really want. I knew what I was capable of and I know I am capable of accomplishing so much more. I am however, disappointed that I missed the very few assignments that I did but this was only a minor set back for a major come back.

I am who I am despite the neighborhood I live in

To what extinct does a person's neighborhood shape who she or he is?

I believe that a person’s neighborhood may have an effect on the lifestyle that he or she chooses to live because a lot of people today are easily influenced by their peers and what’s going on around them. However, if a person lives in a violent and unsanitary community, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they will turn out to be a bad person. It’s the same as growing up in a rough neighborhood. Just because one lives around all of that, drama, drugs, and gangs, does not make them tough. It may make them stronger in a sense, because they have to deal with what’s going on around them and find ways to be a bigger person about certain situations. Some people, like me for instance, like to be trendsetters and lead by example. I can say many of my peers don’t have that mind frame. Many let the streets get a hold on them so tight that the streets then become all that they have to turn to. I am who I am despite the neighborhood I live in. In my community there isn’t any violence at all that I know about. I’ve lived in different neighborhoods and have seen a lot growing up but at the end of the day, my mother has molded me into being a young lady with goals and dreams. I believe that there are a lot of young men and women with potential to be better than what they allow the streets to make them. For example, I know a few educated young adults that could be doing so much better in life but because of where they live and who or what they are surrounded by, they tend to not care and it’s sad.

Transitions

Hello my name is Kaylah Jones,

I am a young professional, transitioning into a tech career. I am very fast with my hands and I am also a quick learner. I am always willing to learn something new, even if it means taking on something challenging. During my free time I love to work out and braid hair. I've always dreamed of becoming a cosmetologist and someday having a business of my own. I have a very supportive mother and 2 brothers. Being that my mom has raised all 3 of us on her own, she is my motivation and my strength. She is my backbone and the reason I always strive to do my best. I graduated from Gateway High School, a college preparatory, in 2011. Throughout my high school years I was a member of BSA (Black Student Association). I participated in a few other clubs and groups. I volunteered at the Boys & Girls Club of San Francisco up until I was old enough to become employed. When I was about 14 I began working there. The Boys & Girls Club is where I picked up basic computer skills and learned how to manage my time effectively. After high school, I got accepted into Year Up Bay Area. This is where I am currently learning all that I need to know in order to survive in the Tech industry and the business society. Here, I am being taught how to be professional, proper business etiquette's, how to be tech savvy, etc. I am learning so much and I believe that by the end of this journey my knowledge of computers will very much so have expanded and I will be able to say I am prepared for all that my future has in store for me.