Most high school students are told about the importance of earning good grades, taking AP classes, and mapping out the next four years of their lives according to a traditional college pathway. Once onboard this metaphorical plane toward higher education, they do their best to stay on course—studying hard, following the familiar time-table others take.

Why? Because it’s familiar. They look around, see what everyone else is doing, and many are content to sit back in economy, waiting for things to unfold.

That’s why Anjali's story is so inspiring. Since joining CREO, she hasn’t simply taken her seat on the plane—she has rewritten the itinerary and learned to navigate the aircraft herself. Today, she is on track to earn her Master’s in Public Health degree by age 19.

Anjali and her mother Elizabeth, attended her first CREO Kickoff event in October of 2023.

Anjali began her journey by exploring possibilities through CREO. At just 14 years old—when most students were deciding what backpack to buy for the school year—Anjali was browsing higher-education opportunities. That’s when her mom, Elizabeth, discovered the dual-enrollment program at College of DuPage during a CREO event.

She took her first college course at age 15.

“I think my first ever class was anatomy and physiology at college at COD, as night classes, and I was taking essentially my high school classes on top of a community college.”

She was so young that the professor had to make a special exception to enroll her. While many students don’t solidify their career interests until late in college or even after entering the workforce, Anjali gained real-world experience years earlier—opportunities she would never have found in a typical high-school setting.

“My professor actually would let me come to her cadaver lab. It really helped me figure out that I love health care.”

That class didn’t just challenge her—it clarified her path.

Thanks to dual enrollment, Anjali graduated from high school a year early. CREO connected her with Nancy, a volunteer with extensive experience in college transfer, who helped her map out the courses to earn both her high school diploma and an AA degree at COD. When she applied to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign at age 17, she had accumulated enough college credits to enroll as a third-year student. She will be completing her Bachelor of Science in May.

“I'm a senior right now. I got accepted into an accelerated master's, so next year I get to finish my Master's of Public Health.”

While the resources, guidance, and opportunities offered through CREO helped Anjali take flight, what stands out most is how intentionally she used them. At our Caminando Juntos workshops—monthly sessions designed to inform and engage families—Anjali showed up with eagerness and curiosity:

“I remember very vividly that my first CREO event was how to manage your money. I was asking like a million questions.”

She brought that same energy to her weekly coaching sessions. By watching her coach model confidence and professionalism, Anjali began shaping her own sense of what she could become:

“Even as someone who doesn't always struggle academically, I felt that she was a very professional woman, and she was a good guide for my own sense of developing professionalism. She showed me her resume, and even now, my resume is the same template that she would use.”

Even after arriving at university—prepared, driven, and ready to face challenges—she knew when to seek support:

“I came in, I feel like I was pretty well spoken, I was never really afraid to ask for things. But also CREO helped me understand that I should reach out to La Casa, for instance, like the cultural houses and get that network of support in Urbana-Champaign; because when I went, I was the only one–I had no friends, no family, nothing.”

Today, Anjali is not only flying her own plane—she’s already planning her next flight. Fueled by curiosity, humility, and a commitment to learning, she continues to set new goals and leverage every available resource to gain even more lift. Her journey is a powerful reminder of what young people can achieve when mentorship, opportunity, and their own determination come together.

Today, you can help high school students like Anjali find mentorship and support from a fantastic team of volunteers and staff. Please support CREO's Year-End Giving Campaign to position CREO for ongoing growth in the coming year.