Chavon Holiday Profile

It’s a tradition that most Needham High students carry out with little thought - bring bagels and cream cheese to share with classmates at homeroom. But it posed an awkward problem for Chavon Holiday. He had no money to buy them and did not want to embarrass himself and let down his peers. However, he knew where to go for help – his mentor, English teacher Andrew Sgro. “He knew a lot of the struggles I was going through, so I told him,” said Chavon, 18, now studying at Mass Bay Community College and working at 7-11. “We talked and I felt much better. And he got the bagels.”

Chavon believes he would not have graduated, and certainly not gone to college if he had not received extra support through Steps to Success. More importantly, his relationship with his mentor changed the way he looked at himself and others. “He made a huge difference,” Chavon said. “I don’t think I would have been as open-minded about pretty much everything – about myself, broadening my horizons and taking new risks.”

Before Chavon moved to Needham with his mother for his freshman year, he had attended schools in Boston, Brockton, New Bedford, Springfield and Rhode Island. None had the academic rigor of Needham High, and the frequent moves made it hard for him to develop relationships. “I was so used to moving from place to place I never gave myself a chance to get to know anyone,” said Chavon, who still lives in Needham. “It was too much when I had to move all over again.” Some days, he felt stymied by his personal anxiety, as well as the challenges of academics and social life. Mr. Sgro helped him push beyond that. “My anxiety made it hard to get to school everyday and focus,” he said. “Having Mr. Sgro to talk to alleviated stress. He was easy to talk to and fun.”

Interested in art and fashion, Chavon took Art 1 and 2, sculpture and photography at Needham High and worked after school at T.J. Maxx. He struggled with balancing school and his job. “I was having a really hard time organizing and meeting deadlines,” he said. “We’d look at Power School together and see what my grades were and what I needed to do to catch-up.” The relationship with Mr. Sgro also allowed him to connect with his classmates, he said. “In the beginning, I was pretty culture shocked,” he said. “But Mr. Sgro said it would be worth it to open up and get to know people. And I’m glad I did. I made some good friends.”

This fall, Chavon talked on the phone with Mr. Sgro. He spoke about his excitement over his placement in an honors English class at Mass Bay and his friendship with a fashion design student who could teach him to sew. After Mass Bay, he aims to transfer to the fashion program at Johnson and Wales or another four-year college. “I told him everything is going good,” Chavon said.

Mentee Profile: Chavon Holiday