June 22, 2026

Yosely Ocampo has a special place at KidWorks: a cubby, etched with her name, inside the preschool classroom on Chestnut Ave. This tiny remnant of Yosely’s time in preschool is a testament to her almost 20 years with KidWorks.

But Yosely wasn’t always sure that she’d find a community for herself in Santa Ana.  

Yosely grew up on Myrtle St. to hardworking parents who’d immigrated to the neighborhood from Mexico. In 2007, she was invited to enroll in preschool at KidWorks, but her mother was hesitant to accept. 

Like many other immigrant community members, Yosely’s mother sacrificed the life she’d built in Mexico to build new opportunities for her family in Santa Ana. Her oldest son was still back home. The possibility of returning to Mexico loomed over the family’s opportunities to establish roots locally. 

Despite the uncertainty, Yosely attended her first day of preschool at three-years-old. She was a friendly, outgoing, and intelligent student who quickly found her way around the classroom. 

KidWorks helped me not be shy. Everything that KidWorks did…opened more opportunities for me to explore the world around me and connect with people.”

Yosely Ocampo

Yosely wasn’t the only person to explore new horizons via KidWorks –– her mother joined in on the opportunity to build community inside the classroom. She prepared lunches for her daughter’s preschool classmates. She’d join the class on field trips. 

The tender moments Yosely shared with her mother at KidWorks’ preschool kept her excited to play and learn, but this routine soon fell apart. 

During her first year of preschool, Yosely’s maternal grandmother fell ill and required day-to-day care. Her mother made the difficult decision to relocate to Mexico and care for her mother in the final days of her life. 

For over a year, Yosely lived alone with her father in Santa Ana. This sudden disruption to her life at home impacted her ability to engage at school. She felt alone, wanting nothing more than to have her mother back by her side. 

The teachers at KidWorks’ preschool provided crucial support during this difficult transition, especially Alma Magaña, Early Learning/Family specialist. 

“I was able to build relationships at KidWorks preschool, especially with Ms. Alma. Even now that I’m in college, I reach out to her for support and she will guide me through any trouble I run into, whether it be coursework or a personal experience.”

Yosely Ocampo

Yosely posing for a picture with Ms. Alma and the rest of the preschool team at KidWorks.

When Yosely’s mother returned to the United States, everything seemed to fall back into place. until another big change shifted the dynamic at home. 

At four-years-old, Yosely met her older brother for the first time. He was 14, new to the United States, and often clashed with their parents as he navigated his transition to the U.S. from Mexico.  

Yosely had always been the only child at home. Her family dynamic was now permanently altered: she was a younger sister with a brother 10 years her senior. 

Despite these big changes, Yosely no longer retreated into herself like she’d done before. She turned to KidWorks for emotional support and navigated this transition via KidWorks programming. 

“Growing up, I was eating, sleeping KidWorks –– my whole world was KidWorks. I loved it so much that I let myself open up. I was comfortable. There were people that I knew since preschool up until high school. I was so comfortable knowing staff and the people in class that it motivated me to volunteer and take advantage of every bit of KidWorks programming from camping to college programming.”

Yosely celebrating her graduation from KidWorks’ preschool in 2008.

Campus Crash introduced Yosely to her future campus: California State University, Northridge (CSUN). She was excited to move away for college, but she was nervous to leave the community she had built at KidWorks. 

Clarisa Vargas, College & Career Director, ensured that KidWorks continue to provide Yosely with the resources to succeed at CSUN:

“Since I’ve known Yosely, she has participated as a PA from the SAY program with our summer programs, interned for Carrazco Law, and a part of our College & Career programs, where she receives the Gap Scholarship, a care package every fall, and a postcard/gift card every spring. I speak with Yosely every month. Through these chats, I have gotten to know Yosely personally and professionally. I have seen her through the good moments, and the tough ones too, but despite it all she always is positive and has a smile on her face. I love hearing about her life in college and helping her work through challenges related to classes, grades, financial aid, and life post-college. I know wherever life takes her, KidWorks will always be here cheering her on and she’ll be an incredible role model for our community.”

This month, Yosely joined the CSUN class of 2026 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Criminal Justice. As a graduate, she’s eager to carve a new space for herself in Santa Ana. 

There’s an opportunity for a career in city government. Or perhaps, law school –– a field she’s excited to explore after interning with Carrazco Law, KidWorks’ esteemed partner in Orange County. 

Yosely knows that her life has many paths ahead. It’s hard to know which way to go, but KidWorks is her compass. 

Thank you Yosely for being part of the KidWorks story for nearly 20 years! We are cheering you on as you forge through this new chapter of your life. 

Yosely joins the class of 2026 at CSUN!

Because of the generosity of donors and partners, like Carrazco Law, Yosely grew up with more opportunities than she could have imagined.  When you support KidWorks with a financial donation, you are directly supporting students, like Yosely, in their journey to college and career success. Give today at kidworksoc.org/donate.

By Bryanna Paz, KidWorks Marketing & Communications Assistant