Staff Story: Jeremiah

Kids love Think Together because of team members like Jeremiah. As one of our Program Leaders, he comes to work every day ready to invest in the lives of our students. Jeremiah cares deeply about afterschool programs because he grew up in them. “They put me on the right path,” he says.

Jeremiah grew up in San Jose and began attending After-School All-Stars in the third grade. Middle school was challenging for him with opportunities to join gangs and do drugs. Instead of partaking in detrimental activities, Jeremiah got more involved after school. “All-Stars gave me a place to get away from that crowd. It gave me a place to be myself.”

After middle school, Jeremiah began volunteering. “The program had done so much for me, I just wanted to give back to it,” he says. By this time, After-School All-Stars had merged with Think Together to become our fifth region in California. Jeremiah volunteered throughout high school. When he graduated last year, the next step in his journey was clear.

Jeremiah is now a Program Leader for our Healthy Living Program at his former middle school. This program is sponsored by Kaiser Permanente to foster healthy eating habits and physical activity. Jeremiah loves the program because students use sports to release stress and energy.

Kaiser Permanente supports Think Together students throughout California. Kaiser’s community involvement pairs grant funding with nearly 70 years of clinical expertise, medical research, and volunteerism to support prevention-focused, evidence-based programs that expand access to care, create healthy environments and advance health knowledge. Our Kaiser Permanente grants help students like Jeremiah get access to the resources they need to lead healthy lives.

Including the seven years spent at his middle school, Jeremiah has over 10 years of experience in afterschool. We are honored to have him on our Think Team. He’s currently a student at West Valley College and is preparing for a career in cyber security. Reflecting on his life, he says, “I probably wouldn’t be here, or be the person I am today, without afterschool.”