You ready for a story that will have you reaching for the tissue box? Pull up a chair.
Mya Jara, a resident of Hartford was forced to drop out of high school for some time in order to take care of her brother while her mother juggled four jobs to support the family. Her stepfather was deported. Her biological father died in an accident.
Despite those challenges, Mya was capable of maintaining honor roll status throughout her four years of high school.
But that’s not all. Mya is also a Team Member at Chick-fil-A Glastonbury, working there on nights. A strong work ethic and innate leadership ability earned her one of twelve scholarships offered to students across the country by the fast-food restaurant.
Chick-fil-A invested $19 million in restaurant Team Members’ continuing education, awarding college scholarships to 7,492 Team Members in 44 states, Washington D.C., and Canada. Of those, Mya received a life-changing scholarship of $25,000.
To surprise these 12 Team Members, Chick-fil-A invited them to join what they thought was a virtual retreat. Little did they know, Chick-fil-A Chairman and CEO Dan Cathy would crash the retreat to share the great news!
The company says Mya’s ability to lead and show compassion toward others has made her an outstanding addition to Chick-fil-A Glastonbury.
Mya’s dream of attending an out-of-state college is now a reality. Upon high school graduation this spring, Mya plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in social work in hopes of earning her master’s degree and becoming a medical social worker.
Felicidades Mya!
We told you the tissues would come in handy.
Since 1973, Chick-fil-A has invested more than $110 million in scholarships to help over 66,000 Team Members pursue a college education and achieve their remarkable future — whether it’s with Chick-fil-A or elsewhere.
