February 2022
Friends,
 
There is a lot to love about this time of year that has nothing to do with candy, hearts, and flowers. I love finally getting back into the groove of the new year with momentum and productivity building at work and school. I love watching the snow fall and dreaming about warm days to come. I love football on TV and family gathered to watch. I love hearing from friends about their children’s plans after graduation. This is the time.

My social media feed is filled with smiling seniors flashing college acceptance letters and soon-to-be graduates sharing their next steps, but I worry about those I don’t see, the students I don’t know, the ones who don’t know what they will do after graduation.

This is why Say Yes Guilford exists. We strive to support students when they struggle, to show them the opportunities that wait for them in the real world and the paths to get there.

You can help us show GCS students and graduates some love. Volunteer as a tutor; a child is waiting for your guidance. Give a little or a lot to support our mission; a student is counting on you. Share our success; they belong to our whole community.

There’s a lot to love about this time of year. By working together we will have a lot more to celebrate in the future.


Gratefully,

Say Yes Guilford CEO
Mark Your Calendar!
Students and their families need to understand the full range of postsecondary and career pathways that can lead to success. Say Yes Guilford is looking forward to piloting new strategies to expand awareness and access alongside great partners. Thank you to the Walton Family Foundation for supporting Say Yes Guilford! Click the image below to learn more.
Say Yes to Success!
High Point University Class of 2025

Jenny Aguirre's senior year at Ragsdale was nothing like she expected. She was looking ahead to graduation, facing quarantine in a global pandemic, and putting her gifts to work as a team member at a High Point Chick-fil-A. “My college search was basically me alone. I didn’t have much guidance, and I didn’t even consider High Point University until one of my colleagues mentioned it, and I’m super grateful for her.”

With a great ACT score on her resume, and encouragement from family, friends and those co-workers, Aguirre went after a scholarship. “Ever since I found out what college cost, getting a full-ride was a big dream of mine.” A dream that became reality with the Say Yes Guilford scholarship.

“My mom was so proud of me,” Aguirre recalls. Her work family was equally proud. “They taught me the importance of being there for each other. My Chick-Fil-A family, I love them so much.”

Read more about Aguirre and meet other Say Yes Guilford scholars at sayyesguilford.org.
David Furr
Alumni for Education
David Furr remembers watching his friends on stage when he was a student at Page High School. “It’s funny, because I really wanted to get into acting when I was at Page, and I even went to many of the school plays where everyone seemed to be having such a great time; but whenever it came time for auditions I chickened out. Fortunately, I had friends who were also interested in the theatre in college, and their influence finally gave me the courage that I needed to give acting a try,” he says. At Appalachian State University he says found his courage and passion for it.

After college and touring with North Carolina Shakespeare Festival, Furr made his way to New York where he became a sought-after name on Broadway.

Today, this actor and devoted family man is back in his hometown of Greensboro where he and his wife dedicate time to their careers and raising their family.

Read more about Furr and other Guilford County Alumni who know the power of education at sayyesguilford.org.
Say Yes Guilford sayyesguilford.org