Making their own opportunities

Diana Arevalo says you have to get beaten up to join a gang and beaten up to leave it.

It was a rite of passage she almost went through when she began hanging out with the wrong people who lived on her street, and she began flirting with joining a gang. But after realizing that it could hinder her potential in life, she made the decision to stay away.

Today, Diana’s priorities are different. One of them is to finish her essay to enter a leading national scholarship contest for girls. Diana was one of five girls selected by the local Costa Mesa chapter of Girls Inc. to compete for one of the Girls Inc. National Scholarship program. If Diana wins, she would be one of 25 girls in the nation to win a $2,500 or $15,000 scholarship to underwrite her college education.

The 16-year-old senior at Estancia High School credits her mom, grandmother and Girls Inc. for the good decisions she’s made.

“Girls Inc. has contributed to the person that I am today. I’m strong, smart and I’m bold,” she said, echoing words from the Girls Inc. mission statement.

Girls Inc. has 104 chapters throughout the United States and Canada. The organization has stood beside girls since 1864, teaching them to make better choices in life — to become educated, to succeed and to never let life’s adversities bring them down.

“We believe that all of our programs are designed to teach girls that they have choices about careers, about college and about the way they lead their lives,” said Veronica Escobedo, program director for the Costa Mesa chapter.

Girls Inc. offers programs to girls from elementary school to high school. Each age group is entered into specific programs to help them develop and prepare for the next step, Escobedo said.

For example: The economic literacy program is designed to teach girls to use basic tools to make wise decisions about earning, saving and spending, Escobedo said.

Other programs are designed to teach girls about the difference women have made in various fields.

Being smart means girls get to learn about the different career opportunities available to them and to make smart moves.

While women tend to lean toward social science studies, Escobedo said girls are encouraged to tackle high-paid careers, including engineering and technology.

Being strong means girls don’t let mishaps destroy their potential.

“Making good choices makes them strong,” Escobedo said. “If they are avoiding risky behaviors, they stay strong.”

Being bold means taking smart risks, Escobedo said, “not only in their education, but also in trying things they would normally avoid, like trying out for sports.”

Diana is still in the process of finishing her essay. She expects to win, but if she doesn’t, she’s still planning to go to college and earn double degrees in business and music with a minor in dance. She also plans to open a dance studio for teens.

“I never had the opportunity to take dance classes because you have to pay for these types of classes and I want to give kids that opportunity,” Diana said.