This month marks Green Ivy Educational Consulting‘s 15th anniversary, and in celebration, I wanted to share the stories of a few of the many students who have worked with us over the years. Julia and I met at a fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club when she was a high school junior, and we’ve had so many great memories over the years that it is hard to find a favorite. I’ll share one. Like many students, Julia was pretty stressed out about everything during her senior year in high school, and during a December breakfast meeting at Stacks in Menlo Park, I had her write three goals on the back of some receipt paper. Six months later, all three of those goals (including getting into college and finding a way to pay for it) happened. Four years later, this picture was taken at her graduation from Loyola Marymount University. Julia recently wrote this op-ed in the SF Chronicle about The Priceless Gift of Mentoring.
Why did you originally come to Green Ivy?
At the beginning of my junior year, I met Ana at a Boys and Girls Club Fundraiser in San Francisco. Ever since I was a kid, I had been going to the East Palo Alto Boys and Girls Club, and was being honored as the Boys and Girls Club “Girl of the Year” and went up to her because she was the only person that seemed to be around my age. As we were talking, I began to complain about the up coming SAT test I had to take. About a week later, Ana reached out to me and invited me to come to her office and receive free tutoring sessions.
How long did you work with us?
I worked with Green Ivy for two years.
Which skills or habits did you learn that were the most effective in helping you achieve your own goals?
Ana would always ask me to write out my future goals. This helped me visualize my goals and create specific plans to achieve them. Whenever I felt anxious or stressed about school or life, I would reflect on my ultimate plans and re-organize my thoughts.
Did you continue to use these skills throughout high school and college? If yes, which ones specifically?
Yes, it has become a life skill that I use everyday. After college, I was confused about my future career plans. I began reflecting on what I wanted in a job and all the things I would have to do to achieve my goal. By the end of last summer, I cofounded a tech startup, called Trekk Moving. We are based in LA, and we help small businesses with daily delivery services. We’ve been quite successful so far, and received interest from a startup incubator and hope to start working with them next year.
Describe your work today. What is your favorite part of your job?
I love working for my own startup that provides business delivery services. My work comes with many challenges but it’s the most rewarding job I have ever had, and I love implementing my ideas and watching my company grow.
What surprised you most about working with Green Ivy?
I was surprised I would make so many connections with my tutors. Ana has become one of my mentors. I am truly surprised by how meaningful my relationship with Ana has been. It inspired me to to write about my experience in an OpEd piece called, The Priceless Gift of a Mentor, that was published in the San Francisco Chronicle.
Do you have any favorite moments or stories about your time at Green Ivy that you’d like to share?
I remember I spent a whole day at the Green Ivy office while I was working on my college essays. I received help from every tutor at the office. I was determine to get the perfect essay and I remembered thinking how this was the most stressful assignment I had done at the time. So when I received 7 out of 7 college acceptance letters I could not wait to show off to Ana, Becca and all the other tutors .
If you could go back and have a conversation with your younger self about school, what advice would you give?
Enjoy college because it goes by fast. Don’t try to be perfect just have fun.
What are your current professional and personal goals?
My professional goals are to continue to learn as much as I can, mentor students and grow my company.
What do you love most about where you are now in life?
I love how I still have so much to learn and am excited about that for the first time.
And a few more just for fun. . .
Last book you read just because: Girl Boss by Sophia Amoruso
Dream acting gig: How to Get Away With Murder
Best invention of all time: Laptop
Dream vacation: Italy
Favorite movie: Forrest Gump
Breakfast staple(s): French Toast
