Photo courtesy STRIVE Awards: Lt. Col. Scott Lempe presents the Lempe Family Resiliency Scholarship to Jesus Nunez.

I was first introduced to Jesus Nunez last year during the STRIVE Award celebration. The STRIVE Awards recognize high school juniors and seniors in the district who have overcome significant challenges to succeed in academics, life, or both. Jesus exemplifies the STRIVE program, and his journey is a poignant reminder about the importance of resiliency and grit in an increasingly uncertain world.

Growing up, Jesus was always on the move—living in Florida, Texas and Mexico. Every year, he seemed to begin a new school, in a new city, and just as he was beginning to settle in, his family would move again. 

As the number of moves piled up, he lost interest in trying and his grades suffered. It reached the point that he considered dropping out. But after his family moved to Venice and he started at Venice High School, he encountered encouraging teachers who, like his mom and stepdad, showed faith in Jesus and helped him develop resiliency skills. He started to apply himself and soon realized what he could accomplish. 

Last spring, Jesus’ resiliency and grit were celebrated through the STRIVE Awards, which include a $1,000 gift that helps offset expenses many scholarships won’t cover. Jesus also received the first-ever Lempe Family Resilience Scholarship. The scholarship, for students planning to pursue a technical education pathway, has lifted a huge financial burden from Jesus and his family as he is currently studying construction in the Building Trades and Construction Design Technology Program at Suncoast Technical College. 

Along with the vital financial assistance, Jesus has remarked how both the award and the scholarship provided validation that has helped him persist to pursue education after high school.  

Now a few months into his program, Jesus enjoys his studies and has begun an internship with a company that finishes houses. In school, he is helping to build a tiny house, and through his internship, he is learning how to work on ones much larger. 

I am heartened by stories like Jesus’ because today a cloud of uncertainty hangs over so many students and teachers alike. The world is changing quickly, and many have experienced debilitating trauma. Amid a mental health crisis that has been brewing for years, many students have been putting on hold their plans to pursue education after high school. Too many aren’t actively planning for their next steps.

That is why it’s essential we develop resiliency skills and traits in students through a coordinated, persistent effort. That’s why it’s so important that teachers get the support they need to find well-being and grow more resilient, so they can model it every day in their classrooms. 

With resiliency, amazing things can happen. Only a few years ago, Jesus was on the verge of dropping out of school. Now he’s considering further postsecondary education after he finishes his one-year program. His transformation didn’t happen overnight and was not without the support of people who cared for his well-being. But even as he faces complications along his new pathway, he continues to move forward.

Like building houses tiny or large, teaching resiliency is a process. It requires pouring a foundation and then constructing a strong frame. It requires teams working together to wire the house, to plumb it, to hang the drywall, and so much more. Then, as Jesus is learning now, it requires the finishing touches—all those details that transform it and show all its potential.  

Jennifer Vigne is President and CEO of the Education Foundation of Sarasota County.

Photo courtesy STRIVE Awards: Lt. Col. Scott Lempe presents the Lempe Family Resiliency Scholarship to Jesus Nunez.