Kevin Wants to be a Lawyer

Yes, Kevin wants to be a lawyer - a dream not unlike countless other high school students. 

However, Kevin has a much more daunting hill to climb than most young people in Collier County. While Naples is home to one of the wealthiest zip codes in the country, Kevin lives 35 miles away in underserved Immokalee, where the concept of a college education and career fulfillment remains a mere dream for so many. 

Primarily known for agriculture, Immokalee's families suffer from intergenerational poverty and very low educational attainment. Immokalee's per capita income is $17,927, ranking it 477th out of 485 communities in Florida. 

As the president and CEO of The Immokalee Foundation, I understand the challenges and dreams of these young students. Immokalee is my hometown, too. 

Kevin's reason for this career goal? "I want to practice law in the hopes of helping others and making sure people are treated fairly under the law with proper legal representation." 

For 33 years, The Immokalee Foundation has been preparing the next generation of leaders through its award-winning Career Pathways program, which focuses on education, career readiness, and professional development for students in Immokalee. You could say we want people treated fairly regarding access to education and stability. 

Kevin is one of the lucky ones - he has The Immokalee Foundation in his corner. Kevin is one of over 1,300 students - from kindergarten through postsecondary education - who will benefit from the Foundation's life-changing services this year alone. 

Through its award-winning Career Pathways program, The Immokalee Foundation provides new pathways to success through robust programming that prepares students for well-paying, in-demand professional careers in four specific pathways: Business Management and Entrepreneurship, Education and Human Services, Engineering and Construction Management, and Healthcare. 

The program begins in sixth grade by introducing middle school students and their parents to a range of career options, including high-paying jobs that do not require a bachelor's degree. 

Foundation high school students choose a Pathway to follow from ninth through 12th grade. Out-of-school programming includes college prep workshops in addition to highly specialized career programming specific to each Pathway to earn industry-recognized certifications and participate in paid internships. 

The curriculum includes career panels, field trips, workshops, educational summer camps, career interest and aptitude assessments, and more. Plus, more than 100 community members graciously volunteer their time each year to mentor one of our motivated students. 

And the results? 

* 100% of high school students earn an industry certification and complete a paid internship to bolster their resume and marketability. 

* 100% graduate high school and pursue an in-demand postsecondary professional career. 

* 93% complete an advanced postsecondary professional certification or college degree. 

* 87% work in their field of study. 

Future attorney Kevin participates in the Foundation's Education & Human Services Pathway. 

Of all the professional development activities offered, enough cannot be said about the benefits of hands-on experiences. For the past two years, Legal Aid Service of Collier County has graciously hosted Education & Human Services Pathway students as paid summer interns. Kevin joined them this past summer. 

"Kevin provided invaluable support to our staff and clients who are members of their community," said Legal Aid staff attorney Elisa Huapilla-Miron. "This perfectly embodies the Immokalee spirit of community members helping each other. Our town needs attorneys who can provide high-quality legal representation, so perhaps one day, our interns will be the attorneys who return to Immokalee to provide legal services in our community." 

"I enjoyed attending court proceedings and joining various client meetings with legal professionals," Kevin said. "I was most impressed with the Legal Aid attorneys' determination and caring for their clients. They want what's best for them and put in lots of work to make it happen." 

As for how this experience will impact his future, Kevin is equally enthusiastic. "I feel amazing and honored to put such a wonderful experience on my resume. The Legal Aid staff was so grateful for my assistance and work during my internship. I want to thank The Immokalee Foundation and the Legal Aid Service of Collier County for this rare job opportunity." 

A rare opportunity for an even more exceptional young man.