Stories of Hope: 5th-grader named to Elementary National Honor Society
My name is Yeshaya Curbelo and I am in the fifth grade at Turie T. Small Elementary. I am a good student and was recently inducted into the Elementary National Honor Society.
In the afternoons I take the school bus to Daytona State College to participate in the Lemerand Center of Excellence. I am in the FBHonors program where we get homework help, math and ELA tutoring, and we learn about robotics and coding.
What I like most about LCE is the staff. I like them because they’re very nice and I am very picky about who I like so you know they are good!
I am originally from Long Island, New York, and moved to Daytona Beach with my dad in 2022. I love my dad so much; he is my hero. He makes me laugh and will always stick up for me. He works hard and is always there to help me and to listen to me. We get along well and like to exercise together and play games like Scrabble and Monopoly.
I was born prematurely, so my parents named me Yeshaya, which means “God’s Gift.” I am very responsible for my age; I am always trying to do the right thing. I am easy-going and understanding, accepting life for what it is. When I get older, I would like to be a singer, an artist or a therapist. I used to sing in my church choir and perform solos. My favorite artists are Beyonce and Rhianna.
I like to draw background scenes or first-person views of items. I prefer to draw in pencil because you can do good shading that way to make the drawing feel more real.
I also would like to be a therapist because I like to understand people’s perspectives and try to relate to them to make them feel more comfortable and more valued. When I am not at school, I like to play basketball.
This year for Christmas I would like a pair of all black sneakers, Bluetooth ear buds and a PlayStation gift card. This will be our second Christmas in Florida and we usually keep it pretty simple. I have a small tree in my bedroom and the two of us will probably go out to a restaurant for Christmas dinner. I like to wish everyone a very happy holiday.
About this series: FBH Community’s mission is to foster community organizations that proactively work to eradicate the causes of generational poverty. FBH Community hosts programs such as Food Brings Hope’s KidsZone, TeenZone, FBHonors, Change the Code and Lemerand Center of Excellence at Daytona State College. Another FBHC program is VCan with the mission of eradicating hunger and homelessness among children and youth in Volusia County. FBHC Homes Bring Hope’s mission is to lead the facilitation of homeownership opportunities for hard-working families. And, FBHC Prosperity Initiative assists hard-working families in overcoming barriers to achieve food and housing stability, as well as educational and career advancement. FBH Community’s overhead is fully funded by the Hosseini Family Foundation, allowing 100% of donations to directly benefit the programs and families. Throughout the holidays, The News-Journal is highlighting the organization by publishing the stories of some of its young participants and families. To donate to the organization, or to brighten the holidays by donating a gift to a child, visit FBHCommunity.org, email info@FBHCommunity.org or call 386-317-5767.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Stories of Hope: 5th-grader named to Elementary National Honor Society
