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Despite being a brilliant young man, 21-year-old student Leonardo Guerreiro always saw success hit emotional roadblocks. He simply didn’t believe in himself.

The difficulty led him to seek psychological help in the city where he lives, Barcarena, Pará. But what the young man didn’t expect was that, in addition to helping with his low self-esteem, the psychologist would put him on the path to the Dr. Firmo Cardoso municipal library, which would completely change his life.

Leonardo needed to focus on his studies to take the Enem exam, and that environment would be ideal for him to stay on track. Gradually, in addition to delving into textbooks, the student also got involved in activities promoted by the partnership with Recode, such as the one that encouraged libraries to use technology to promote reading and, more recently, the Recoders Challenge.

However, it was in the ProgramAção cultural contest that the great achievement came. To win, it was necessary to complete the App Inventor app course and write a testimony about that experience. The most creative ones would be awarded smartphones.“The cell phone as a prize caught my attention right away. Mine was faulty and I needed it to work and study. So I listened to a song and put all my emotions on paper,”Leonardo emphasizes.

Believing it’s possible

“I learned, through App Inventor, that programming is similar to the human capacity for sociability. I saw in the visual blocks the comparison that, when we fit different pieces (people), they combine and share interests, diversify thoughts and create something unique and special.” With this winning sentence created by Leonardo, there was no doubt about his talent.”My mother and I cried with happiness,” he rejoices.

In addition to helping Leonardo Guerreiro believe in his potential, the phone will enable the student to continue on the path to earning a spot in college by taking Recode courses through the device.“Everyone needs to believe that it’s possible to overcome traumas and fears. That’s what I try to do every day,”concludes the young man.

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