Overview
Dara CastroPhysical Therapy Assistant
Dara Castro, a single 23-year-old, came to Project ARRIBA in 2012. Dara lived with her parents and two younger siblings. Both her parents worked, however they struggled to make ends meet. When she applied to Project ARRIBA, Dara had just been accepted into the Physical Therapy Assistant program at El Paso Community College. Dara had a passion to work with patients in helping them recover from injuries. She received financial aid but no longer qualified due to her completed credit hours. Dara nor her parents had the means to pay for her education and her father lost his job a semester before she graduated. Dara needed to help with expenses and decided to work part-time. With Project ARRIBA’s assistance, Dara completed her training and graduated May 2014. She completed her certification and is employed at Healthmasters earning $19.00 an hour. She is now able to sustain herself and help her family while contributing to El Paso’s economy.