October Alumni Spotlight: Stephane Yonli, (West Potomac High School)
West Potomac High School in Alexandria, Virginia has seen its share of remarkable Liberty’s Promise youth. Among those is Stephane Yonli, a determined alum of our program who arrived in the United States from Burkina Faso. His journey, marked by resilience and the pursuit of opportunity, is a testament to the transformative power of education and community support.
Stephane’s Journey:
“When I was 15 years old, my parents, older brother, and two sisters immigrated from Burkina Faso in search of better opportunities. One of my dad’s colleagues sponsored us in the United States once we scored green cards through the lottery system. That fall of 2008, I began attending West Potomac High School in Alexandria.
Being that I had spoken French my whole life, I was in ESL for three years until my senior year. I had to learn everything from scratch. It wasn't easy, but then I discovered Liberty's Promise during my sophomore year which gave me the support that I needed. My friend and I had nothing to do at home, and we heard there was free pizza at the program, so we went! Part of the reason I continued showing up though was because we’d hangout with people who looked like us and heard guest speakers share their stories about being an immigrant or first-generation American.
Through Liberty's Promise, I found crucial support during my high school years. I remember my Program Officer, Allison, always helped us apply for scholarships and other college-related forms, which I definitely needed help with during my senior year. It was through Liberty’s Promise that I was nominated for the Herb Block Scholarship and the New Futures Scholarship. For someone who just got here, I didn’t even know I could get free money to go to college, so that was great.
I also interned at the Martha Washington Public Library through Liberty’s Promise. This was a big deal because as the program was coming to a close, there was a job opening as a page. I applied and got the job, which I actually ended up working at until my sophomore year of college!
Despite the initial language barrier and cultural adjustments, I excelled academically. After graduating from West Potomac High School, I pursued electrical engineering, starting at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) for two years to save money before transferring to George Mason University. Currently, I am a Network Operation Engineer at Verizon, overseeing network maintenance nationwide.
Looking back on my journey, I’d offer this advice to immigrant youth and students facing similar challenges: look for scholarships and don’t be afraid to go to community college to save money. Be open to talking to people and seeking help. Liberty’s Promise gives you the tools and helps to shine a path to figure out what you want to do and who you want to be. There’s always a solution, even if you don’t know how to get there yet.”
Stephane’s story is testimony to the power of determination, support, and opportunity.
Liberty's Promise empowers many immigrant youth like Stephane, helping them realize their full potential and achieve their goals. With the right resources and encouragement, success is within reach for everyone.
Thank you to our community for your ongoing support. Donate today to help us continue empowering youth to achieve their full potential.