Today’s guest was Randy Martinez,

Director, Strategic Diversity Management/Pharmacy Benefits Management at one of America’s largest companies, CVS Health.

Our Hope Life Skills host was Mohamadou Mbaye

who welcomed Randy to Hope High School and introduced him to the entire Life Skills class.

Mohamadou welcomes Randy Martinez to Hope Life Skills outside Room 112 prior to the start of class.

Mohamadou introduces Randy to the Life Skills class.

Students welcome Randy to Hope Life Skills following Mohamadou’s introduction

“I was born into a military family.  We moved a lot!   And, to cities that often had little in common with each other, from Los Angeles, California to Mobile, Alabama” Randy said.  “Constant

moving meant enrolling in new schools.  This forced me to get out of my comfort zone.  

Today’s guest was East Greenwich High School senior, Ali Decesare, and her father, Founder and President of Third Effect Marketing and Design, a leading Rhode Island graphic design and marketing company, Nick Decesare.   Today’s Hope Life Skills host was Melanie Gomez Cabrera.

Melanie Gomez Cabrera (right) welcomes guests East Greenwich High School senior, Ali Decesare, (center) and Nick Decesare, Founder and President of Third Effect Marketing and Design, to Hope High School and today’s Hope Life Skills class.

Melanie introduces Ali and Nick to the Life Skills class. Phenomenal introduction by Melanie!

Marta Aparicio was today’s guest.  Marta is a Hope High School Life Skills graduate and the class valedictorian of Hope High’s graduating class of 2010, a Georgetown University double major graduate (Political Science and Sociology) in 2014, presently a Director of Retail Operations at the Follet Corporation and an Adjunct Professor Miami Dade Community College, Miami, Florida.   Our Life Skills class host today welcoming Marta back to the Hope Life Skills class was Valentina Gomez-Rincon.

Valentina Gomez-Rincon (left) welcomes Marta Aparicio to Hope Life Skills and prepares Marta’s introduction to the rest of the Life Skills class.

Valentina introduces Marta to the Hope Life Skills class today. Well done, as usual, by Valentina.

Marta begins to share her inspirational and empowering story with today’s Life Skills students.

Marta began her story today from her birth in Guatemala to meeting her parents for the first time in the United States at 12 years old.  “It didn’t work out as I had hoped.  By the time I was in Mr Cronin’s Life Skills class,

I was living on my own at 16 years old,

working 30 hours a week at a couple of jobs to pay for rent and my health insurance as well as studying to do well academically at Hope.”

Juan Corona (right) welcomes Neil Amper to Hope High School today.

Today’s guest was Neil Amper, Vice President of Capstone Properties, a commercial real estate company.   The Life Skills class host welcoming Neil Amper to Hope High School and introducing him to the Life Skills class was Juan Corona.

Juan introduces Neil to his classmates at the beginning of today’s Life Skills class.

Chanda Nuth welcomes Neil to the Life Skills class after Juan’s introduction of Neil.

“My family was very rich and I was very rich too.  

Yachts.  Airplanes.  Vacations to wonderful places.  Beautiful homes.  My parents, sisters and me shared this privilege of wealth.  By the time I was 23 years old, I was worth $10,000,000 (million), managing part of our family international scrap metal company with hundreds of people reporting to me.   Then,

seemingly in an instant, it was all gone.  I had no money and no job. 

Today’s guest was

Enio Pinto, managing partner of The International Entrepreneurship Center

(IEC), in Newton, Massachusetts.  Accompanying Enio was Chad Huemme, another partner at the IEC and a professor of Global Studies at Suffolk University in Boston, Massachusetts and Tino Chow, entrepreneur, Singapore native, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) graduate and marketing consultant.   Today’s Hope Life Skills host was Maria Dasilva who welcomed Enio and Chad to Hope High School and introduced them to her Life Skills class.

Maria Dasilva gives her business card to Enio Pinto after giving Chad Huemme her card after welcoming both men to Hope High School before today’s Life Skills class.

Maria introduces Enio and Chad to her classmates at the opening of today’s Life Skills class.

Valentina Gomez-Rincon and Ruben Blanco welcome Chad Huemme to class as Travis Barbour welcomes Enio Pinto (top of photo) following Maria’s introduction at the start of today’s Life Skills class.

Enio begins his story of success as an international entrepreneur and emigre from Brazil.

Enio told the class he was born and educated in Brazil.  As a young adult, he decided to look for a job in America.  “When I was looking for a job in America while living in my native country of Brazil, I went on Monster.com and wrote the word ‘Portuguese’.   That’s was it!  Not ‘business’ or ‘marketing’ or ‘sales’ or ‘teaching’ job;  just ‘Portuguese’.  I believed the unique value I could bring a company was my ‘Portuguese’ language and appreciation of the Portuguese culture.  Babson College soon offered me a job”  Enio said.  “I believe when you’re

Today’s Life Skills host was Jose Orellana.

Jose welcomed the artist, Aristides Membreno, to Hope High School

and, soon after, introduced Aristides to the Life Skills class.

Jose Orellana (right) introduces himself to Aristides Membreno and welcomes him to the Hope High School Life Skills class before the start of class.

A moment of levity as Jose introduces Aristides to his Life Skills classmates.

“He is a graphic artist but refers to himself as a ‘designer’ designing toys at Hasbro and sneakers and shoes at Converse.

His name is Aristides Membreno but

I’ve been told to call him ‘Arrow‘.

Please welcome Arrow to our class.”  And so went Jose’s eloquent introduction of the designer, Aristides “Arrow” Membreno, to the Hope Life Skills class.

Djovan welcoming Nick to Hope High and the Life Skills class prior to the start of today’s class.

Today’s guest was Nick Decesare, the Creative Director at TWOBOLT, a marketing strategy and services company.   Our Hope Life Skills host today was Djovan Davega. 

Djovan introducing Nick to his classmates at the beginning of today’s class.

Class began with student reflections on yesterday’s visit to the CVS Health corporate campus.  “I was amazed at the number of CVS Health staff members who were happily

working in jobs they never anticipated” commented Ruben Blanco.

Nick Decesare immediately added  “I started as a pre-med major at New York University (NYU).  My parents and I thought I would be a doctor.   After 2 years at NYU, I changed my major to graphic design and I’m glad I did.“

Nick begins his story about ‘design’.

Nick continued with an examination of a full page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal.  The class began sharing their observations of the ad.  “There is a black and white contrast in this ad”  Jose Orellana said.  “Good qualities in one column and negative qualities in the other column.  It’s interesting to see the good qualities have a black ground.  That seems contradictory to what I expected.  I’d assume the graphic designer for this ad would have a white background for the good qualities and negative qualities would have a black ground”.   “I agree, Jose”  Nick said.  “But, there is a specific reason the designer created this ad the way he or she did.  This designer intended readers to pause and reflect on this design.  When something causes an observer to pause and think, the designer has achieved an initial goal.  You know, almost everything, from an online advertisement to a soft drink container or the shoes you wear, has a

‘design’ component.

Design is more than aesthetics;  you know, making something look good.  Design also has a ‘function’ quality’ like easy or exciting to use.  From the house or automobile  Ayobami will eventually design as an engineer or how Jose’s future patients will feel in his medical office to the clothes and accessories Djovan will ultimately design for his business or pleasure, design plays a critical role.  The better you understand design, the better you’ll be able to fulfill your career and job objectives.”

The conversation then moved to

3D printing.

Today’s guest to the Hope Life Skills class was Nan Quinlan.   Nan is the former Training and Development Manager at TACO, Inc in Cranston, Rhode Island.   Nan has been a frequent guest to our class, most recently, appearing three weeks ago for a class on “Writing An Effective Resume“.  Our Life Skills host today was Juan Corona.  Juan welcomed Nan to Hope for her second visit of this school year and then introduced Nan to the entire Life Skills class.

Juan Corona (right) meets with Nan Quinlan outside of the Life Skills class to prepare for Juan’s introduction of Nan prior to the start of today’s class.

Juan introduces Nan to his Life Skills classmates to begin today’s class.

 Today’s topic was

preparing for a great job interview.

Today’s guest to our Life Skills class was Mike Martel, a Senior Director of Pharmacy Inventory Management at CVS Health.  Today’s host was Isaac Demola who did an outstanding job welcoming Mike to Hope High School and introducing Mike to the Life Skills class.

Isaac welcomes Mike Martel from CVS Health prior to the beginning of today’s class outside our Life Skills classroom.

Isaac introduces Mike Martel to his Life Skills classmates to open today’s class.

Mike greets Chanda Nuth as Valentina (to the right of Chanda in the brown sweater), Juan (to Valentina’s right) and Djovan (to Mike’s left in the jean jacket) await to welcome Mike to Hope High as well.

Mike presented the details of this summer’s CVS Health Hope Life Skills internship program.