When students walk into the Future Ready Center, they are often greeted by the bright smile and encouraging voice of Arisleyda Calderón, who has spent more than two decades helping students see what is possible for their future and why she is deserving of this week’s staff shoutout.
For 23 years, Arisleyda has been a guiding light for countless students across the School District of Lancaster. As the College and Career Project Specialist, she helps young people explore and pursue their paths after high school, whether that means college, trade school, the military, or the workforce. Her days are filled with planning, connecting, and listening, all anchored by one goal, to prepare students for life beyond graduation.
Her mornings begin with responding to emails from staff and community partners, but the moment the first students walk into the Future Ready Center, everything shifts into motion. “That’s when the real work, and the real fun, begins,” she says with a grin.
From helping a student complete a college application or submit a scholarship essay to connecting another with workforce programs or military recruiters, Arisleyda’s work touches nearly every step of the postsecondary journey. She coordinates FAFSA workshops, student and family information sessions, college and career events, and field trips designed to expose students to new opportunities. She manages two mentoring programs, helps plan college visits and career tours, and plays a central role in organizing the district’s large-scale College and Career Fairs.
“Each day brings something different,” she says. “It’s a mix of planning, organizing, and one-on-one support, but every piece of it leads back to one thing, helping students see what’s possible for their future.”
Her favorite moments are the ones spent sitting across from a student, listening to their story, hearing their hopes, and helping them find direction. “Meeting with students and guiding them as they plan for their future is the most rewarding part of my work,” she says. “Watching them grow, graduate, and leave with a clear postsecondary path fills me with pride. It’s deeply fulfilling to know I played a small role in that success.”
Arisleyda’s story begins in the Dominican Republic, where she was born to a Dominican mother and a Spaniard father. She grew up in a large, loving family with eight siblings, each one, as she puts it, “with their own beautiful characteristics and virtues.” Her home was full of laughter, energy, and lessons about strength and faith.
Her mother, a woman of determination and vision, instilled in her a belief that education was not just an opportunity but a responsibility, a way to honor those who came before. “My mother taught me that every generation should strive to be better than the last,” Arisleyda recalls. “She told me education was the key to building a life with fewer struggles than the ones she endured.”
That belief carried Arisleyda across continents and through years of study. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies from Penn State University and later her master’s in Human Services from Lincoln University. To her, graduating college was not only a personal accomplishment but a fulfillment of her mother’s dream.
“Graduating was more than earning a degree,” she says softly. “It was proving to myself that I could rise above obstacles, honoring my mother’s sacrifices, and setting a foundation for my children and grandchildren to go even further.”
Those lessons now live through her work at the Future Ready Center, where she models determination and purpose every day. A colleague who nominated her for recognition wrote, “She’s very welcoming to all. She goes beyond herself for students, empowering and uplifting them to be successful with a bright future.”
What inspires her most are the people closest to her, her husband Ricardo, her two children, Ricardo and Arabella, and her grandchildren, who she calls her heart. “They are my greatest source of strength and motivation,” she says. “They’re the engine that keeps me going.”
She also carries the influence of her late mother, whose love continues to guide her through every challenge. “Her strength lives in me,” she says. “Everything I do is in honor of her.”
Outside of work, Arisleyda’s life is filled with movement, joy, and family. She was a modern dance and ballet dancer from fifth grade through twelfth grade, a passion that taught her discipline, grace, and confidence. “Dance gave me balance,” she says. “It helped me express myself in ways words couldn’t.”
She laughs when she shares that she started “dating” her husband in the eighth grade and quickly adds, “But don’t tell my grandkids.” For Arisleyda, family is everything. She treasures vacations with her children and grandchildren, moments that bring everyone together. “I believe in the bond and strength a family can cultivate,” she says. “A strong family relationship is wonderful. It keeps us grounded.”
This past year, one of her proudest accomplishments was working with a group of students who initially had no postsecondary plans. Through countless meetings, conversations, and encouragement, she helped them find their path, and this fall, they began their first year of college. “Those are the moments that stay with you,” she says. “When you see that light go on in a student’s eyes, that’s what this work is all about.”
As she reflects on her 23 years with the district, Arisleyda says what she cherishes most are the relationships she’s built. “I’ve been blessed to work with so many amazing colleagues who inspire me every day,” she says. “Meeting Brother Frank was one of the greatest blessings of my career. His wisdom and kindness left an impact I’ll carry with me forever.”
For more than two decades, Arisleyda Calderón has helped shape the futures of countless students, not only through her guidance but through her belief in what they can become. Her story is one of love, perseverance, and purpose.
Through her dedication, compassion, and belief in education as a force for change, she has guided students toward opportunity and reminded everyone around her that success begins with hope and a helping hand.
At the Future Ready Center, that helping hand is hers.