Rocky Estrada

Rocky Estrada: Student and Leader

Rocky Estrada was raised in Angoon, Alaska, a small Tlingit village on Admiralty Island, accessible only by boat or floatplane.He was an honor role student in high school, a student council member, and a guard on Angoon's first ever State Champion basketball team.He graduated in 2001 as the salutatorian of his class and was poised to take the next big step in life.

For rural students like Rocky,college or job training meant leaving family, friends, and a unique lifestyle far behind, and many young
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Rocky started college with YO! in the fall of 2001 and liked what he found."It was a good experience."he says, "It helped me connect to a network of people, helped me mature and understand college life.Whenever I had questions, I could get answers.It helped me open up."After completing his freshman year of college, Rocky was asked to serve as a mentor in YO!'s Summer Bridging Institute (SBI).The SBI is a chance for youth from YO! communities to get a firsthand taste of college life.

For two weeks, SBI students live on the UAA campus, earn college credits, explore various careers, and enjoy many cultural and recreational activities.Rocky proved to be a fantastic mentor."I worked 24 hours a day.I'd talk to the students about my experiences, make them feel comfortable, show them the area, and have fun," he says "They're curious how college is-what to know, what to expect, and I was in the same boat as them once.It was really fun."Rocky was asked to return as mentor for the summer of 2003 and will be promoted to Co-Lead Mentor.

Once school is out he plans to work all summer "to help get everythingorganized and make sure the next group of kids has a good experience."Rocky is now a sophomore at the University of Alaska Anchorage.He is still involved with the Youth Enrichment Program and plays on their intramural basketball team, The Villagers.He's getting good grades and expects to graduate in the spring of 2006, perhaps with a business major and a minor in Alaska Native studies.

He is currently taking classes in business, math, computers, and grant writing-a class he took to discover ways to improve his hometown.Rocky says, "I think about that a lot, helping my community.Whenever I start to fail, I think about the people at home and the people who believe in me-not just me, but other kids from Angoon.It's something you think about.It means a lot."Rocky has good advice for those youth:"Just keep working hard.Never give up when things get tough.Don't give up on your dreams!"

"Rocky Estrada, the Villagers' most academically accomplished player, is a leader on and off the court."