Jhonny Bruno – 2018 Ability Award Recipient
Every year, at our Annual Awards Ceremony & Fundraiser, we honor a Triangle, Inc. program participant who embodies our mission and perseveres against all odds. Jhonny Bruno, a 2015 graduate of our Culinary Arts Career Pathway, could not be more deserving of this award. His hard work and determination to achieve his goals is unmatched, but it is his resilience and optimism in the face of obstacles that exemplify this award. Please join us at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum on Wednesday May 2nd to celebrate Jhonny and his fellow honorees for their work and accomplishments in helping the world realize that we are all people with ability!
As part of the Career Pathways: Culinary Arts program, Jhonny completed an employment boot camp and culinary training at Bunker Hill Community College with the coaching and support of Triangle staff members. He graduated from the program with his ServSafe Food Handler certification and completed a six-week internship that led to a job in the cafeteria at Shire Pharmaceutical in Lexington.
A native of Carrefour, a community in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Jhonny moved to Dorchester to live with his aunt and uncle at the age of 16. Ever the determined learner, Jhonny strengthened his English language skills by reading children’s books on his own time while being supported at Charlestown High School by a comprehensive group of teachers, STRIVE coordinators, and staff members. Upon recognizing Jhonny’s relentless work ethic and positivity, his teachers began working with him to set and achieve his educational goals. This team connected Jhonny to vocational training at Triangle, Inc. and has since worked diligently with him to improve his Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) test scores. His employers were another invaluable source of support, creating a more flexible schedule for him as he focused on his studies. After several years of hard work, Jhonny recently received has final passing score in Math, completing his MCAS tests.
Now 22, Jhonny is looking toward the future with both his ServSafe certificate and MCAS passing scores. He’d like to explore further vocational training in hopes of becoming a mechanic. While he always emphasizes the hopeful opportunities ahead of him, Jhonny remembers where he came from and frequently expresses his gratitude for all of the support he has received from caring individuals that have come into his life over the past six years.
We hope that you will join us at Celebrate: Triangle, Inc’s Annual Awards Ceremony and Fundraiser on May 2nd as we honor Jhonny and several other highly valued partners. For ticket information, please visit our event website.