July 10, 2026
Forging the Path to his Future
The journey of a FriendsPDX graduate
If you met Julian today, you’d never know that growing up, he considered himself a troublemaker. He jokes that his two main jobs at school were to make people laugh, and to NOT do his work.
He says he would jump on tables in the classroom and literally bounce off walls for attention. His mom was juggling school and being a single parent and didn’t always have time to go speak with the principal when Julian received multiple referrals for his behavior.
He was enrolled in Friends of the Children - Portland at age 6 and initially didn’t really like it. He didn’t love being around adults or focusing on schoolwork, and yet he was paired with a mentor who would encourage him to do just that during their regular outings.
Julian said, “After months of hating it, I began to feel a sense of security during these weekly outings. I didn’t have to disrupt to get eyes on me and feel like I belonged.”
Over the 12+ years Julian has been a part of FriendsPDX, Julian had three mentors who each had their own unique impact on him and shared life lessons that have stayed with him.
He described his first mentor, Jason, as a really strong father figure, which was something he hadn’t really had in his life up until that point. He learned that sometimes the best things for you are the things you least want to do.
Julian’s second mentor was Joe, who was his mentor for the longest amount of time at Friends. Joe taught Julian that sometimes you don’t always get what you want in life and lived in a way that provided Julian with an example of a man who is vulnerable and compassionate.
His third and final mentor was Josue, who Julian describes as a future version of himself.
He learned from Josue that being an adult is a gift and that the journey doesn’t end when you finish high school. Josue also helped Julian visualize his future and figure out the steps needed to get to where he wants to go.
Through the years, Julian often struggled academically. There was a period of time when he felt unmotivated to complete his work on time. With support from Joe and Josue, Julian started to realize his own intelligence and regained his motivation for school. He has learned to love school and is excited for the opportunities that college will bring.
He graduated from David Douglas High School with a 3.5 GPA and is planning to attend Portland Community College to get a bachelor's degree in the STEM field.
As Julian reflected on his journey, he said: “Me and my mentor are very close, and it feels like he's a “future me.” I really look up to him, and I am proud to say he's truly influenced me and helped mold me into the person I am today.”