““My daughter went from not being sure, being afraid, and not wanting to be far from her mom to saying ‘I want to do it, I can do it.’””
Eleazar has been a fan of the STEP program for over seven years. His appreciation for STEP started when he began to notice changes in his daughter, Ruth. Eleazar noticed that Ruth “started believing in herself. She is a very bright student. She had learned about Smith College in Massachusetts but was nervous about applying. After STEP and the expedition, she totally changed and wanted to go. My daughter went from not being sure, being afraid, and not wanting to be far from her mom to saying ‘I want to do it, I can do it.’ I don’t know if it was a change in self-esteem or believing in herself, but the change Ruth went through was like night and day.”
Like any parent, Eleazar was nervous about letting Ruth go on the STEP Alaska Expedition. “I was always thinking about wild animals and other dangers,” Eleazar says, “but STEP did a good job of explaining the expedition and safety measures and I felt confident that everything was going to be okay.” His trust in the program paid off because Ruth came back from the expedition saying “If I can survive in Alaska, I can survive anywhere.”
“STEP helped prepare me and my wife for Ruth’s departure to Smith. We knew she was going away to get a great education and that STEP had prepared her for it.” Eleazar’s “heart and thanks go out to Tracy—she was there all the way and Ruthie called her when she struggled.”
Eleazar’s support for STEP continues today through yearly donations. His explanation? “I really believe that STEP can change someone’s life. I see students who have great potential and I want to do my best to help. My wife and I are blessed that our daughter has a career and is self-sufficient. If we can impact more kids like that, then that would be great. You can’t change the world, but you can change one person.”