Through HDF, Maritas received a scholarship to Francis Parker School where she graduated as the valedictorian. Currently, she is finishing her last year as a Biology Major within the College of Creative Studies at UC Santa Barbara. She is currently applying to grad schools. View a video interview with Marites below:

Below is an excerpt taken from the article, "Agents of Change" written by Sally Deneen in Success Magazine's 2008 June/July issue.

"Marites Villarosa Garcia grew up in a low-income San Diego neighborhood where she heard occasional gunshots. Now she studies science as a freshman at University of California-Santa Barbara in no small part due to OPEN GATE, a program assisted by SVP. OPEN GATE provides intellectually stimulating resources for low-income elementary school kids who test in the 99th percentile in second grade. It's run by the Human Development Foundation, which has been spurred along by SVP. . .

Ana Villarosa, Marites' Mexican-born mom, says she couldn't believe the luck when an elementary school teacher told her about the program, which, among other things, helped Marites get into a private middle school and high school that otherwise would be too expensive.

"It was something amazing to happen to her and to me, as mother. As a parent, you always want the best for your child," Villarosa says. Marites' high-school-career highlights included running track and being dubbed "the smart one" three years straight by teammates competing in the National Ocean Science Bowl. At her graduation, mom watched proudly. "I was so excited. It was like a dream come true. It was so amazing, seeing her walking, getting her diploma, and do all those great things."

Marites is grateful. "I don't think I would be who I am if I hadn't had the experiences I did," she says. The program "has given me many opportunities, which few people with similar backgrounds as mine have .... I don't think I can ever thank them enough."