Los Alamitos, USA – How the 2013 Leadership Academy assisted Mark – 15 Apr 2019

Dear Better Lives,

My name is Mark Frankenberg. I graduated from Los Alamitos High School, and attended college at Northern Arizona University. I’m very grateful to the Youth Center for their 2013 Leadership Academy because it helped prepare me for life after high school.

During high school, I was awarded Most Inspirational Wrestler. I volunteered with the Grateful Hearts Foundation and passed out food to the needy. I was involved at NHC Martial Arts, where I would help teach Hapkido to the children.

College has been the most challenging thing I have done so far. Over those four and a half years, I faced many obstacles ranging from challenging classes to dealing with the pressures of social events. However, the Leadership Academy helped prepare me to face these challenges. I went on to earn my bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, complete my senior design project that will be used for future students, and to lead my own Product Design Team. Thanks in part to the academy’s goal setting workshop, I aspire to work in my dream job as an engineer and to have what I design actually make a difference in people’s lives. After I retire, I’d like to become a teacher.

The Leadership Academy helped me fill in educational gaps that school never taught me. My favorite workshops were automotive repair and maintenance, and the goal setting workshop. Some specific things I learned from the academy that were very useful included how to balance a checkbook, perform general maintenance on my car, and how to make personal goals.

My parents were the ones who told me about the academy so they knew all that I was learning from it. They thought it was very important for me to have learned these lessons. I believe my parents would say it has helped me in my path towards success.

I’m very grateful that the Leadership Academy was available for me. I learned adult, real-life skills and lessons not taught anywhere else. I encourage all students to take it to help prepare them for life after high school. With the help of the Leadership Academy, I’m farther along on a successful path in life. I highly recommend it to other students embarking upon independence.

Sincerely,
Mark Frankenberg
Leadership Academy Graduate (Class of 2013)