Diving in to a Successful Future

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DIVING IN TO A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE

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“ 2 Impact Winter|Spring 2011

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TAUREAN STOVALL’S ART CAREER STARTED WITH AN UNPLANNED DIVE INTO THE CONNECTICUT RIVER. “I was fishing with a friend and I fell in,” he recalls. “I

minority] men,” he says.

was scared of the water after that. So my parents and my

“I want to become the

counselors at ConnectiKids decided I should learn how

best Taurean I can be.”

to swim.”

In his case, that meant a With one new skill mastered, Taurean began to explore

commitment to art. “I’ve

other waters through the summer and after-school

always loved to draw, so

programs at ConnectiKids, a United Way Community

Ric [Herrera] and the

Investment partner that serves elementary school students

other staff helped me take

Because of contributions like

in the Asylum Hill and Barry Square neighborhoods of

it to the next level. They

yours to United Way Community

Hartford.

made me the editor of

Investment, Taurean Stovall of

the summer yearbook for

Hartford not only finished high

“One of our goals is to expose the kids to new things,

two years in a row. I got

school – today he is a successful

whether it’s fine and performing arts, swimming, martial

to work with professional

art major at the University of

arts, or cooking. But academics comes first,” notes Ricardo

artists,” he recalls.

Connecticut.

Herrera, ConnectiKids’ former executive director.

Taurean has remained involved with the agency ever

3,000

since, participating in its alumni program for middle

young people improved their academic

and high school students and serving as a public speaker and advocate. Meanwhile, his quest for excellence has

skills last year in after-school and summer programs

led him from Hartford Public High School to Capital Community College, then to UConn’s West Hartford

because you gave to United Way Community Investment.

campus and finally to UConn’s Storrs campus, where he currently studies fine arts.

ConnectiKids’ tutoring and mentoring programs work

“I want to keep challenging myself,” he says. “Ric always

hand-in-hand with neighborhood schools to ensure that

told me, ‘You can do it, you can do it.’ And I will.”

out-of-school time is time well-spent. “When they don’t have that push from home, we try to be that push,” says

Your contributions to United Way Community Investment

Herrera.

support an interconnected web of education, income, health and safety net services that help our neighbors build a better

Taurean is fortunate to have a close-knit family –

life for themselves. That includes after-school and summer

with four siblings who also attended ConnectiKids.

programs that help children and youth develop the skills

Still, he says, “I was at a turning point in my life, and

for success in school and in life. To learn more, visit

ConnectiKids gave me so many wonderful role models. I

unitedwayinc.org/education.

decided I want to change the way people think of [urban Impact Winter|Spring 2011

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