Anyara was first drawn to HSTF because of dance. In 2017, she joined JEA’s Afro-Latin dance team, Ritmo en Acción (REA), and since then has trained hard in styles like salsa, bachata, cha-cha, and Afro. She has performed as part of a large group, has done duets, and has even performed solo. Now that takes guts.

But for her, it isn’t just about the technical part of her dance training. It’s also about the history behind the dance styles she is learning. Last year, she and one of her peers worked on an Afro-Cuban piece with their resident artist and dance programs coordinator. She and her partner learned about the beautiful African traditions that were infused into the movements, inspired by the African goddesses Oya and Oshun. This understanding gave her strength and confidence during performances. Reflecting on a performance last year at WilmerHale, she shared,“Waiting for the music to start felt like years, but as soon as it started to play it’s like the goddess Oya that I was supposed to portray just snapped into my body and all my nerves and anxiety just went away. I danced with no fear, with no worries, because I knew all those hours of Afro training had paid off.”

Anyara is passionate about dance, and she also manages to stay focused on her schoolwork and her future. Last summer, she earned an internship at WilmerHale. She is now in 12th grade and is preparing college applications alongside her HSTF mentor. She plans to major in sociology with a criminal justice minor, and for now her goal is to become a social worker, although she is also considering law. Anyara wants to make time for dance too, and plans to join a dance group at whatever college she attends. When asked about the role HSTF has played in her life, she says

“HSTF helped me break out of my shell, through dance, through the networking, and just by putting me on the spot in so many different ways to help me grow.” [/bg_collapse]

Ethan Sanchez got connected to HSTF way back in 2005 through HSTF’s summer camp, along with his twin brother Elan. They stayed in touch and joined JEA’s Afro-Latin dance team, Ritmo en Acción (REA), in high school. Ethan recalls that through performing and teaching workshops, he gained confidence and the ability to speak in front of crowds.

During his senior year, Ethan worked with staff and his mentor to submit college applications and sort through his financial aid before finally deciding on Bridgewater State University with a major in biology. His brother Elan also worked with his HSTF mentor and initially enrolled at another school but eventually transferred. They anticipate graduating from Bridgewater State together in May of 2020.

Over the years, Ethan says that HSTF has been a major source of support. “Throughout high school, I had a place that I could call home, where I could be myself and grow.” Ethan and Elan are now in the thick of their senior year and HSTF College Success staff are always there to provide support.

“Elan and I are the first in our family to go to college and Joel is always there to provide that extra advice, remind us to renew our FAFSA, offer help with filling out forms, and answer any questions we have.”

After graduation, Ethan plans to enroll in a Nurse Practitioners program and eventually wants to work at Boston Children’s Hospital. After one high school internship at Boston Children’s that he got through HSTF and two more that he’s done while in college, he has fallen in love with the hospital environment and hopes to focus his career on Pediatrics.

We have been so fortunate to watch Ethan and Elan grow up for the last 14 years and can’t wait to cheer on all of their future successes.

Allyah grew up around music, with family members playing instruments together at family gatherings. “But I was so much more reserved than I am now so I was shy to do it myself,” she shared. Still, her cousin—who was an HSTF staffer at the time—encouraged her and finally she joined Musicians in Community (MIC) and began training in Afro-Latin percussion.

What brought her out of her shell? “It was fun! And Cornell, our Resident Artist, is like, amazing. Not just staff but other youth were all very supportive. Having the ability to build that connection and feel comfortable around everyone helped me break out of that shell.” She had many memorable performances, and one of her absolute favorite songs to play was “Oye Como Va” by Tito Puente.

Allyah is now a sophomore Architectural Studies major. In the future she hopes to work on sustainable emergency reconstruction in Latin America, and is considering a double major in Latinx Studies. Not only that, she also has an internship at Amherst’s Office of Environmental Sustainability, is on the e-board of La Causa, Amherst’s Latinx Affinity Group, and plays Club Soccer.

When reflecting on the role HSTF has played in her life, Allyah said, “I honestly don’t think I’d be where I’m at. The support and resources I had at HSTF I did not have anywhere else. I don’t know if I would’ve applied to Amherst. HSTF helped me recognize my worth and what I’m capable of doing and helped me actually do the things I needed to do to get here.”