[vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=””][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_empty_space height=”16px”][fwp-anim-text animated=”true” animation=”enter right move 10px over 1s after”]As a freshman at Katella High School, Maritza signed up with Big Brothers Big Sisters to be matched with a corporate mentor through the Beyond School Walls program. In monthly facilitated sessions funded through the ACT grant, Maritza and other students from Katella High School meet with BUNZL employees at their Anaheim office for activities focused on career exploration, relationship-building and college readiness.

With the help of her BUNZL mentor Jenny Vu, Maritza created her first resume, practiced interviewing and developed a plan to start saving for college. When Big Brothers Big Sisters sent Maritza a Network Anaheim notification about a House of Blues job fair, she jumped at the opportunity to put her savings plan into action.

During the interview, the HR team at the new Anaheim GardenWalk location was impressed by the 16-year-old’s professional resume as well as her maturity. When Maritza found out she got the job, the first person she called was her mentor Jenny. The months they dedicated to developing her skills prepared Maritza to confidently take the next step on her path to a successful future.[/fwp-anim-text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″ css=”.vc_custom_1467330098898{background-color: #5c2d91 !important;}”][vc_empty_space height=”16px”][fwp-anim-text animated=”true” animation=”enter right move 10px over 1s after”]About Beyond School Walls

Corporate partners sponsor one-to-one mentoring relationships between employees and youth for one year. Once a month, students are bused to the corporate partner office, where they meet with their mentors after school for 90-minutes. Each session is facilitated by an on-site Big Brothers Big Sisters program specialist, who is there to implement a specialized curriculum.

For more information on how to become a Beyond School Walls partner, contact Jessica Romley at jromley@ocbigs.org[/fwp-anim-text][/vc_column][/vc_row]