From Teen Board Member to Trailblazer: The Journey of Rebeca Adam

Prescott, Arizona - In the heart of Prescott, The Launch Pad Teen Center stands as a beacon of hope and opportunity. For Rebeca Adam, her journey through the doors of The Launch Pad marked the beginning of a transformative chapter in her life, one that propelled her toward academic success, professional achievements, and personal growth.

"My name is Rebeca Adam, and I was on the Teen Board at The Launch Pad during 2015 and 2016. I was the first PHS student to serve on the Teen Board!"

I was involved with the Teen Board at TLP. Serving on the Teen Board impacted my educational, professional, and personal pursuits as an adult. The TLP Teen Board instilled a sense of autonomy in my identity that I hadn't felt confident to embrace. I recall how all who served on the board felt the need for this organization. The music shows camping trips, fundraising events, and social programs we would work on during our meetings were formative in my belief in progression through collaborative efforts. The Launch Pad continues to positively impact the teens and adults in the Prescott community profoundly.

"A valuable lesson I learned from my peers during my time at TLP was the power of community" Rebeca reflects. "I felt so eager to help them with these projects." She vividly recalls her first event, “I had few opportunities before joining TLP to connect with fellow learners from Tri-city, Basis, Northpoint, and so forth. When I first attended a board meeting, I recall the confident demeanors of my new peers as they discussed TLP events and progress in the organization's mission. I felt so eager to help them with these projects. 

The first event I attended representing TLP was the MLK Celebration on January 18th, 2016. In one hand, I held a pride flag for the first time, and in the other, I held one corner of a massive banner that read, "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter - MLK." A photo of me and my friend during the event sits by my desk today, serving as a reminder of the impactful lessons in a community that I learned from my peers at TLP.

For Rebeca, TLP wasn't just a center—it was a sanctuary. "When I first joined TLP, I was on an extended break from school due to situations of bullying," she reveals. "TLP provided a safe space where I could explore my interests, make friends, and rediscover myself."

“My mom had heard of TLP through a former coworker, and we met with Courtney about becoming involved with the organization. My family is Bosniak, and my mom sought refuge in the United States during the Bosnian War in the 90s. Additionally, my mom became a single parent to me and my brother when we were very young. It was challenging to establish a sense of belonging in the community growing up, and the pressures of cultural assimilation often made me feel " othered."

A month after joining TLP, I had to go back to school. It was much easier than I had anticipated because I would tell myself that "my real day starts at 3:30 pm when I can go to TLP." I started immersing myself in new hobbies and enjoying Prescott, whether it be alone or with my new friends. These hobbies included thrifting (all the rage in 2015), buying used CDs at Hastings, spray painting crafts at TLP, studying and reading during drop-in hours, and getting outdoors.

TLP expanded my interest in environmentalism and stewardship through these hobbies. I was accepted to the University of California, Santa Barbara in Environmental Studies and received my Bachelor of Science in March 2022. My undergraduate education was funded through grants and scholarships. This included a Segal AmeriCorps Education Grant, awarded for my research and stewardship for the Alaska Regional Forest Service. 

I was a teenager at high risk of dropping out of high school. Last Wednesday, I received my first acceptance to graduate school. Furthermore, I now have a celebratory relationship with my cultural identity. The safe space provided by TLP gave me the confidence to explore the values and subjects that, as an adult, make me myself. “

To learn more about The Launch Pad Teen Center and how you can support future success stories like Rebeca's, visit.