Last week, Dr. Janet Morrison-Lane and Briana Barron, one of our Scholar grads currently attending SMU on an almost full-ride, made their voices heard by traveling to Washington D.C. and participating in the two-day National College Attainment Network (NCAN) Leadership Conference.

Briana Barron never imagined that a random meeting in eighth grade would change her life.

When Briana was in 8th grade, Dr. Janet helped her with a magnet school application. In that space, Briana felt heard and valued in a way she hadn’t before. "Dr. Janet made me realize my voice mattered," she recalls. Inspired by that moment, she joined Vickery Meadow Youth Development Foundation’s EAGLE Scholars program in search of guidance and opportunities for her future.

Each year we gather to celebrate our current senior class’ accomplishments in their college journey. This evening is filled with joy, pride, and a nervous excitement for their next phase in life.

This program took 22 mothers from Vickery Meadow and grew them into a community that will last for years to come. TYRO Anthem Strong Families aims to equip women with the tools to thrive in parenthood and personal development.

When Alejandra Salazar first joined EAGLE Scholars in sixth grade, college felt like a distant dream. Now a neuroscience major at UT Dallas, she credits the program for opening doors she never imagined.