Michelle Villegas

12th Grade, Odessa High School, Odessa, Texas

Yes, You Can, I Believe in You

Yes, you can, I believe in you

Briana* struggles with focusing

Abram* hates school

Andrew* struggles to read

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Yes, you can, I believe in you

I say as Briana says she can’t do the work

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Yes, you can, I believe in you

I say as Abram drops his pencil on the desk

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Yes, you can, I believe in you

I say as Andrew closes his book

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Yes, you can, I believe in you

I say to Briana as she worries about being a big sister

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Yes, you can, I believe in you

I say to Abram as he tells me his football team is going to lose this weekend

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Yes, you can, I believe in you

I say to Andrew when he gets nervous to present in front of the class

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Yes, you can, I believe in you

I say to Briana as she struggles not to fidget with her hands

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Yes, you can, I believe in you

I say to Abram as he says he can’t survive the rest of the day

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Yes, you can, I believe in you

I say to Andrew as he struggles letting his sister go to college

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Yes, you can, I believe in you

I say to Briana as she tells me she wants to be a veterinarian

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Yes, you can, I believe in you

I say to Abram as he tells me he wants to be an NFL player

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Yes, you can, I believe in you

I say to Andrew as he tells me he wants to be a firefighter

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Yes, you can, I believe in you

My children say as they support me walking the stage at graduation

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Yes, you can, I believe in you

Briana can focus

Abram doesn’t hate school

Andrew can read

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Yes, you can, I believe in you

I tell you because every kid deserves a person who believes in them, and I know my kids will and always have that person through me.

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The IDRA Valued Youth Partnership program has taught me that every child is special, and I was blessed to get three wonderful new friends who will forever have a place in my heart. I have learned that every child can do anything they want as long as someone believes in them. I believe for every child. Yes, you can, I believe in you.

* Tutee names changed for privacy

See the booklet with all the winning reflections from 2025 (pdf).

The IDRA Valued Youth Partnership is a research-based cross-age tutoring program. According to the Valued Youth creed, all students are valuable, none is expendable. The lives of three-quarters of a million students, families and educators have been positively impacted by the program.

Valued Youth Partnership

Michelle Villegas – 2025 First Place High School Reflection Winner

Michelle Villegas

Yes, You Can, I Believe in You

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