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Shara Nelson - I Will Aspire

Shara Nelson – I Will Aspire

Shara Nelson used to spend her summers in Haiti. Now, she spends her summers in South Athol, Massachusetts, at Goodwill’s Fresh Air Camp.

Shara, whose parents migrated from Haiti in the 1980s, studies at West Roxbury High School’s Parkway Academy of Health and Technology. She has a passion for helping children, starting with volunteering at her sister’s daycare. Her future career goals include going to college and becoming an obstetrician, delivering babies.

With the help of her best friend, Yahkeemah “Noonie” Blair, Shara got involved with the BNY Mellon Academy for Girls in the previous academic year. Upon beginning the academy, she said, “I didn’t feel weird. I didn’t feel uncomfortable. I just felt welcomed.”

Shara likes the structure of the Academy and that it is a place to learn things that she does not learn in school.

Shara heard about camp from Noonie. In previous summers, before leaving to visit family in Haiti, Shara would come to Goodwill to watch Noonie go off to camp. Curious about camp and not wanting to spend another summer without her best friend, Shara decided to join her friend at camp.

With her experience in child care, she became a counselor-in-training with ease. The admittedly “spunky” Shara was open to meeting new people and open to the experiences that camp had to offer. “Camp,” she said. “It was just great!”

Shara said her greatest achievement to date was when she got her first paycheck for her job at camp.

Shara said she misses spending her summers in Haiti, but she is excited for the opportunities Goodwill’s Academy and camp are providing to her. While a part of Shara wants to go back to Haiti this summer, despite the problems there, she is excited for her return to camp. She said, “No, I have to go back to camp.”