Every story is still being written.
Behind every number is a name, a family and a future. Here are a few of the people who make Path United what it is, shared with their permission.
From shy sixth grader to Airborne soldier.
Yuneisi was twelve, in sixth grade, and about as shy as a kid can be when she first walked into our Gainesville center. She needed a quiet place to focus and someone patient enough to help her catch up on what she was missing in class. What she found there shaped the rest of her life.
Over the next six years, Path became a steady thread in her story. Program trips pushed her outside her comfort zone. She grew into a mentor herself, guiding younger students and volunteering at events like Trunk-or-Treat. In high school, her mentor Lara checked in on her, believed in her and even taught her to drive. Program Director Meredith made sure she had everything she needed heading into graduation, and college visits helped her imagine what could come next.
Then came a surprise. Just three days after graduating from North Hall High School, Yuneisi enlisted in the United States Army.
Four graduations in twelve months. Along the way she earned a Certificate of Achievement and the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.
"Path played a major role in helping me become the person I am today. The support, mentorship, opportunities, and encouragement I received throughout the years helped shape me into a confident young adult and gave me the foundation to pursue my goals."
YuneisiA better fit, found together.
Path helped him. Now he helps others.
He moved to Gwinnett Estates as an eighth grader, still learning English and coming from a school that was tiny by comparison. Then came ninth grade, at a school of more than 2,500 students. He worked hard, but the stress kept building, and he couldn't see it paying off.
So he, his mom and our Path United team sat down together to find a better option. That search led him to Foothills, and it was a good fit almost from the very first day. He loves his teachers. He loves learning again.
And he didn't stop there. He's become an advocate for his new school and spends his own time helping other students through the registration process, the same kind of help that once made all the difference for him.
Shared with his permission. At his request, we've left out his name and photo.
Four years with the same boys.
For four years, Jim Morton has shown up for our students, starting with a group of middle school boys and staying with them as they grew into high schoolers.
Jim is the kind of volunteer who will do whatever it takes: building a soccer field, decorating the center for the holidays or firing up the grill for burgers. These days his wife drives him to programs each week, because being there for the boys is still a priority.
What matters most happens in between. Jim makes time for real conversations, sharing honestly about his own life and helping the guys think about how they use their time. His presence reminds them that investing in others is a choice we make with our time, our energy and our lives.
Stories like these don't happen alone.
They grow when caring adults show up, week after week. There's room in the next one for you.
Every story here is shared with permission.