Daisy Rivera: 12 Who Made a Difference in Central Mass in 2012

Email to a friend Permalink

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

GoLocalWorcester Editors

Daisy Rivera of Worcester knows she can’t change the life of every single Worcester Public School student she advocates for, but she won’t go down without a fight. That’s something coming from the wife of Jose Antonio Rivera of Worcester, former WBA welterweight champion.

Daisy works as a school adjustment counselor with students aged 13-19 years old who are at risk of dropping out of school due to a history of truancy and/or behavioral problems. These students are placed in an alternative school with the opportunity to recover credits in a smaller school setting.

Daisy has a long career in mentoring adolescents. She started her professional path as a social worker for the Department of Social Services in 1999, working primarily with teens. Her young clients were abused, neglected, gang involved and exposed to domestic violence. She eventually earned her Master’s degree at Simmons College in Boston, and in 2007 became a probation officer for the Worcester Juvenile Court.

Her experiences led her to her current position in the Worcester school system, where Daisy says her biggest obstacle to overcome is to accept that she can’t have a positive impact on every student.

Daisy uses positivity to accomplish her own goals as well. She has learned the importance of networking and encourages young women interested in her line of work to learn a second language, pursue higher education, and to be their own advocates.