The Teen Alliance Project is a non-profit organization founded by local Oakland Park resident Coby King to create relationships and programs in communities that lack resources in order to help teens achieve their dreams. Teen Alliance enable organizations to impact youth by providing opportunities that build character, civic engagement, personal awareness, and expands life experiences.
Every month, Living in Oakland Park will feature the Student of the Month, an opportunity to showcase the project in practice and the benefits it can bring to students’ lives.
The Key to a Lifetime of Opportunities
Seventeen year old Veronica White has been a part of TAP for over three years. Veronica is currently a senior at Piper High School. Born in Hollywood and raised in Sunrise, Veronica has always been taught by her parents that knowledge was key to success.
For this reason Veronica has always been keen on education. Not one to shy away she embraces the challenges that come with getting a good education.
I am a member of Mu Alpha Theta, Art Club and Secretary of SGA. At school I have became a part of the computer and technology academy. Many of my favorite classes throughout high school are technology and software based. These classes sparked my interest because they were very interactive yet complex.
Career Goals and Passion Side by Side
Art and technology are Veronica’s true passions: “Art has been a passion of mine ever since I was a little kid. Today, I continue to develop my skills in art and hope to do something with it in the near future. As for technology, I am really fascinated with computer science. School allowed me to further express my passion and learn more about computers in general”.
Veronica wants to pursue her passions and create a stable future for herself by becoming a software engineer: “Interning for the City of Sunrise has further sparked my interest in becoming an engineer because it allowed me to see what it was like in an engineers perspective”. But her goals aren’t self centered at all! One of her dreams is to impact the community, just as it impacted her. “Another thing I would like to do is create a successful business surrounding my passion for art”, says Veronica.
A True Go-Getter!
While she tends to like a lot of things, Veronica does have a few dislikes. One thing that always seems to bother her, as she explains, is depending on others. “I have always learned to do things on my own and always felt that if you want something done correctly you must do it yourself. Regardless of that, I do allow myself to work with others because some things you can’t necessarily do alone”.
Teen Alliance Project: New Connections
Veronica joined the Teen Alliance Project because she felt it would be a great way to start off high school. She knew community engagement was important and that being engaged in the community would help her personal growth.
One of the most important ways that TAP has helped her was by helping her make connections with others: “The connections I have made throughout this program are impeccable and it only allows me to further find myself as an individual”.
Veronica explains that TAP has also allowed her to learn a lot. Through TAP she has participated in a lot of different programs that have allowed her to be exposed to different ideas and experiences. Veronica feels that this has allowed her to see how many opportunities are out there and has also made her more of an extrovert, a go-getter, ready to conquer the world.
“Overall, this program has shaped my high school life beyond the classroom…” and prepared me for what is to come.
