For Julissa and her entire family, SquashBusters means the promise of a better future. As the first born in her family to go to college, Julissa, a sophomore at Babson College in Wellesley, MA, says SquashBusters gave her a path forward. “They helped make this American Dream actually come true. They’ve helped me break so many generational barriers. I have a path I can go on and become someone. It’s not just me; it’s my entire family. They’ve given us so much hope, and now we see that we can go to college and get a degree and know that SquashBusters will be there and have our backs.”
And, It is truly a family affair. SquashBusters made such an impact that when the program piloted an elementary school opportunity, Julissa’s cousins applied. Her cousin Natalie, a third grader, is now in the program. She grew up watching Julissa play and couldn’t wait to get involved. “I thought the sport looked fun and wanted to try it. Right now, in squash, I’m learning how to hit the ball.”
Natalie and Julissa have other siblings and cousins involved in SquashBusters, as well. Two are in seventh grade and the rest are in elementary school. “My family thinks it’s such a great program. They’ve seen how it’s helped me and know the benefits of it and want their kids to be involved.”
Having so many family members who play squash means family parties are a lot of fun, “When we have family events, we all play with each other. They all try to challenge me,” laughs Julissa.
Julissa joined SquashBusters in sixth grade. She liked being exposed to a whole different sport and loved the people she met along the way. “I was building strong relationships with everyone. I was building friendships with older kids and younger kids. It’s like having another family.”
Thinking about the academic support she received in high school, Julissa is thankful it was there. “They helped me academically. I thought I didn’t need it, but looking back, I’m glad they were there. They had tutors so even if the staff wasn’t available, I could always count on someone to help me out. The same thing with my essays and huge projects; I knew I could reach out to someone even if I wasn’t going to practice that day. I always knew someone had my back.”
SquashBusters was instrumental in connecting her to Junior Achievement of New England during high school and also connected her with her internship at Voya Financial this past summer.
Natalie is just beginning her SquashBusters journey, but already loves going to squash and misses it when she isn’t there. SquashBusters gives her a place to go after school, where she can run around with her friends, learn to play squash, and get homework help to go into the medical field.
Julissa is excited for her own future. “Once I got into high school, I realized that they were giving me hope that I would actually become something in life. They’re giving me that path I needed. No one in my family has gone to college, no one has really graduated from high school, so they are giving me steps I need in order to become successful.”