Character
Spotlight

Mary Maritza Gomez

Mary Maritza Gomez is a junior at Middletown High School. Mary grew up in the Bellvue Square Housing Project in Hartford, CT, where each day was a day of survival. Mary had to face and fight a hostile, drug-infested environment. Mary is resilient and has been able to stay clear of negative behavior despite pervasive, anti-social messages from adults, the media, and other youth. Mary showed determination not to be victimized by her surroundings. Bolstered by a belief in the importance of God and family, Mary has been able to respond in a positive manner to challenges posed by stressful situations. At Middletown High School, Mary is able to maintain her academics, coupled with holding the position of Vice President of "Youth Helping Youth," a peer mentoring/education program sponsored by the Rushford Center, Inc. Mary is a facilitator and mentor in the program. The program focuses on training youth to make responsible decisions, handle conflict productively, commit to service in their local community, and build self-esteem. Participants focus on social activities that promote positive fun and demonstrate commitment to the community by providing direct service to other community agencies and schools.

Mary is also President of Middletown High School's Alianza Latina, a self-awareness organization. She has served on the Middletown Youth Center's Advisory counsel, and has been involved in building assets in her community by attending Character Assets Resiliency Education Workshops sponsored by the Connecticut Assets Network. Mary truly exemplifies the qualities of a person of character!