The luminary poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou once said, “You are the sum total of everything you've ever seen, heard, eaten, smelled, been told, forgot - it's all there. Everything influences each of us, and because of that I try to make sure that my experiences are positive.”

Alyssa Wowk is another one who tries to find the positive in every experience.

A 2015 graduate of the Roscoe Central School District, Alyssa is currently employed with the Boys and Girls Club afterschool program at the Monticello Central School District. She has a degree in Early Childhood Education from SUNY Sullivan and plans to further her education with the goal of earning a degree in Child Psychology to become a school psychologist.

Childhood was rough for Alyssa. Her dad was an addict and her mom was an enabler. As if that wasn't bad enough, often times, Alyssa would witness her dad beating on her mom. Eventually, Alyssa was able to move in with her grandmother but her hard experiences would stick with her throughout school. Alyssa wasn't popular in school. She ended up running with the wrong crowd. Alyssa always took the rap for any trouble the crowd caused. Alyssa was in turmoil. She was in a downward spiral that was affecting her grades and lead her to test anxiety during her senior year. She would know the information to pass the test but the anxiety was so severe that she just couldn't pass.

As in every good story, Alyssa's life started to make a turn for the better. The Roscoe principal at the time was Tammy Mangus (now superintendent of the Monticello Central School District). Mangus was a “strict principal”. She saw what Alyssa could do and didn't let her slide. Alyssa received a note from her doctor diagnosing her with severe test anxiety. Mangus sat down with Alyssa, her mom, and her teacher to discuss a plan to take her regents and pass. These were all turning points for Alyssa. As she looks back, she is thankful that Mangus was as tough as she was. “Don't always fall in the trap of the strict teacher, or administrator, being your enemy,” Alyssa said. “They see your potential when you don't.”

Now Alyssa works with students to steer them in a better direction. She says that she “can relate to kids having behaviors” because of what she went through. “Working with students is a passion and not a job,” says Alyssa. “Are students acting like this because of what they are seeing at home? Mrs. Mangus had high but attainable standards for me and now I have high but attainable standards for the students I work with at the Boys and Girls Club.”

Alyssa credits Barbi Newman Marty, supervisor at the Boys and Girls Club, with giving her a chance to work with the students at Monticello CSD. “Barbi has high standards for her staff to be the best they can be so the program can be the best it can be for the students. Barbi is someone I can confide in.”

Alyssa has some words of wisdom for youth that may be going through what she went through when growing up. “Don't give up. Many times you will feel overwhelmed due to home life. Every day you are going to hit rough spots but you are going to overcome obstacles! You can do it! Don't let your hardships hold you back from following your dreams. Turn your experiences around and help others.”

Perhaps the words of Maya Angelou relate so well to Alyssa's story because she herself lived through a tumultuos childhood and came out of it an inspiration for generations of readers to come.

“The thing to do, it seems to me, is to prepare yourself so you can be a rainbow in somebody else's cloud,” Angelou said. “Somebody who may not look like you. I may not dance your dances or speak your language. But be a blessing to somebody. That's what I think.”

We can all learn something from Alyssa Wowk. She overcame difficult obstacles. She is using her experiences to help others overcome the same obstacles.

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style,” Angelou said.