“Evan* is a little shy at first, a little quiet,” said Roemello White, Case Planner at Morey House. “But once you get him warmed up and talking about his passions, he lights up.” Recently gaining admission at Erie Community College, Evan will be able to continue pursuing his dreams.
Evan is a 20-year-old young man living at Morey House, Child & Family Services’ community-based living home for boys aged 13-21. After graduating from South Park High School, he set a new goal for himself – become a social work counselor. To do this, he would need to go to college.
“He is so motivated,” expressed Roemello. “Evan does his chores every day, always cleans up after himself, keeps his head down, doesn’t cause any trouble, and does it all while keeping a good sense of humor.”
Even the most motivated people could use some help finding the right path, though. Evan researched what he would need to apply to ECC. He asked the Morey House staff to help guide him through the application process. “Our staff was able to help make sure everything got to where it needed to be,” said Roemello. “Evan also took a placement exam a few weeks ago. He had received study materials beforehand, so we worked with him to help him prepare.”
While studying social work at ECC, Evan will have the opportunity to explore his other interests. “A lot of extracurricular activities are limited right now because of COVID, but he’d love to get involved in something with football or basketball,” explained Roemello. “He’s also really creative and loves writing. Right now, he is writing a superhero story in his journal. He’s really into superheroes, cartoons, anime – things that open the world up to him.”
As Evan follows his passions, the world will continue to open more to him.
*Name changed for confidentiality.