Yanelie’s Story

For the Ramirez’s, Catholic Charities’ Education Navigation program is a family affair

Yanelie Ramirez (20) and her twin sister Nayeli, graduated from North Central Texas College in Graham. And both relied on the support of Catholic Charities to help them
obtain their licensed vocational nurse (LVN) degrees.

Growing up, Yanelie’s family didn’t have much money, but they always had each other. Then in her junior year of high school, her grandmother passed away. Yanelie had taken on the role of caretaker and after her grandmother’s passing, Yanelie knew she wanted to become a nurse, to continue to take care of people the same way she had taken care of her grandmother.

So, she enrolled in dual credit college courses her junior and senior years of high school and enrolled in NCTC Graham after graduation. But constant anxiety and financial trouble weighed heavily on Yanelie. When her older sister and cousin, both of whom had also gone through the Catholic Charities program, reminded her about Education Navigation, Yanelie knew it was the answer she was looking for.

Her Navigator became a mentor for everything from budgeting to applying for financial aid. When Yanelie’s dad was in a car accident earlier this year and couldn’t work, it was her Navigator who helped Yanelie manage her finances so that she could still afford tuition.

For Yanelie, her future is in Graham, a town she says means everything to her. She hopes to become a Registered Nurse (RN), and credits the support of Catholic Charities with making her dream a reality.