staceybooks

Before Persevere became a movement, it was a single “yes.”

On January 4, 2019, we received our first official approval. That moment wasn’t loud. There was no stage, no spotlight, no celebration. But it was everything.

Because that “yes” meant we could walk into correctional facilities and teach individuals how to code. It meant we could introduce a pathway into an industry that many believed would never be accessible to them.

That was the beginning of Persevere.

The Gap Between Vision and Reality

Between January 4 and April 15, there was no roadmap.

There was complexity, pressure, and a vision we refused to let go of.

We had to build everything from the ground up. Curriculum. Security protocols. Technology infrastructure. Application and selection processes. Trust with the system and with the students.

There were countless moving parts and constant problem-solving. It would have been easy to slow down, but we didn’t.

April 15, 2019 — The Day It Became Real

On April 15, 2019, we launched our first two classes.

That was the day Persevere stopped being an idea and became action.

We walked into those classrooms knowing some students had never touched a computer. Some doubted themselves before we even started. Many had been told, directly or indirectly, that this kind of future was not for them.

And yet they showed up.

And so did we.

Teaching More Than Code

From the beginning, we knew this could not just be about technical skills.

We were not just building coders. We were rebuilding confidence, reintroducing purpose, and helping people see what was possible for their lives.

Alongside coding, we focused on life skills, emotional wellness, and career readiness. Because long-term success requires more than knowledge. It requires transformation.

What We Saw Early On

It did not take long to see something powerful happening.

People who had never used a computer were learning to code.

Attendance remained high. Engagement was real. Hope began to show up in places it had been missing for a long time.

Then came the moment that confirmed everything.

Students began passing their exams, some with perfect scores.

Not because it was easy, but because they were capable.

The Beginning of Something Bigger

What started with one “yes” on January 4 and two classes on April 15 became something much larger.

At the time, we were focused on getting it right one classroom at a time. We were solving problems as they came and building something that did not exist before.

Looking back now, it is clear those early days laid the foundation for everything Persevere would become.

Why Those Dates Matter

We celebrate January 4, 2019 because someone believed in the vision.

We celebrate April 15, 2019 because we proved it could work.

But more than anything, we celebrate the people who sat in those first classrooms and chose to believe that their story was not over.

Persevere did not start with a program.

It started with people willing to take a chance on themselves.