Encouraging the Leader within One Remarkable Young Woman

By Jenelle Thomson, AmeriCorps VISTA

News headlines about conflicts around the world become  more real and personal when you come to know the survivors. Since I began working at PAIR, the world has become smaller for me with each young refugee I meet. Their stories and spirit move me. One such remarkable young person is Haja.

Before I knew Haja, her cousin and brother, Ibrahim (profiled in our Friends of PAIR booklet), were in the PAIR summer program. They were the first people I had met from Darfur, and I was surprised by the openness of her brother in speaking about his family’s experience in Darfur.

I later visited Ibrahim’s apartment to inform his parents about the start of the after-school Global Learners program. I was graciously welcomed into their bustling home. Two small children smiled at me curiously, while a third shyly peeked from around a doorway. It was then I met 16-year-old Haja, who instantly struck me as a bright and friendly young lady. After hearing me explain PAIR programs, she inquired if she could be in PAIR, too. At the time, we had recently expanded to their neighborhood and were operating programs for middle school students only. I told her we were hoping to start a program for high school students very soon and I would keep in touch.

Haja on a school field trip

On another visit, the younger students weren’t home, and I started a conversation with Haja. I learned she is a diligent student and the star of virtually every sports team.  She began talking about her home country and was open in relating her family history to me. Haja was seven years old when conflict broke out in Darfur, and she witnessed unspeakable acts of violence that no one, and certainly no child, should ever have to see. Her family spent two years on the run from militias, sleeping under trees and eating fruit for sustenance, at times too afraid to even drink water because streams had been poisoned. Eventually, they reached relative safety at a refugee camp, and were resettled in Houston almost two years ago.

Haja and I talked for hours as she told me about Darfur, showed me her village on Google Earth, and played YouTube videos of music from her country. She left quite an impression on me: the picture of strength and resiliency. After everything she has experienced, she is caring, thoughtful, and optimistic.

This semester, PAIR launched a pilot Global Leaders program for high school students who live at Haja’s apartment complex. Haja was, of course, at the top of the list of students we wanted to enroll in the program. She was all smiles when we told her about it, and arrived promptly to the first session.

This past Saturday, Global Leaders focused on leadership. With their mentors, students read biographies of famous leaders, discussed what makes a leader, and what they learned that they could apply to their own lives. The last part of the activity was to write out the steps they would take to become a leader. When I described what to do, Haja said to me, “I don’t think I will be a leader.” My heart swelled, as I am incredibly inspired by this young woman and see great potential within her.

“Yes, you will!” I exclaimed, “I know you will.” I explained to Haja that someone does not have to become president or even famous in order to lead. Everyone has their own way of being a leader, and everyone can do good things in their lives. She nodded, and went to work writing out her steps to becoming a leader. When I saw the final result, it took great effort to stop tears from welling in my eyes:

Haja's steps to becoming a leader

She wrote how she wants to bring peace and freedom to the people of Darfur.

I say it frequently about my work, but I am truly and continually humbled by the refugee communities we serve at PAIR. Thinking of the challenges our students have overcome and still face, everything else is put into perspective. Haja is just one of over 200 students currently in PAIR programs, each with their own incredible story. This is why I serve as an AmeriCorps VISTA—to motivate and empower  each and every student to reach their highest potential.

The Mission to Educate and Empower Refugee Youth Hits Home

By Valerie Hang, PAIR Volunteer

It’s amazing how opportunities tend to present themselves when you least expect it. Taking a simple pause could change your life–that’s exactly what happened to me at the beginning of this semester.

On my way to a meeting, I passed by the usual board of fliers and advertisements against the wall. These would usually go unnoticed, but this particular time was different. I’m not sure what lured me, but that day I actually stopped by to see what that board had to offer. A bright green flier on the bottom corner of the board caught my attention and the following words immediately hooked me: “Educate and empower refugee youth.” Next thing I knew, I was jotting down the date of the volunteer meeting, with the sense that this could become a huge part of my life.

Many Vietnamese refugees fled the country on small, cramped boats (image courtesy of Wikimedia)

At the info session, the University of Houston chapter officers shared their passion and experiences in PAIR. As I listened, I became truly amazed by how much PAIR has accomplished in the few years since it was established, impacting refugees’ lives and helping them adapt to American society. I couldn’t help being reminded of my own family. My father and his ten siblings were refugees during the Vietnam War, fleeing Vietnam in 1977 as “boat people.” They had no choice but to separate and take refuge in surrounding places such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, and Hong Kong. There, they spent months in camps, surviving on their own with limited food or shelter. In 1980, they were finally reunited in the United States. The refugee students in PAIR’s programs have endured situations similar to what my family lived through. I knew it would be an honor for me to become a volunteer for PAIR, especially if I could make a difference in someone’s life.

Valerie attended after-school Global Learners sessions every week to tutor and mentor these students

Every Wednesday afternoon, I had the pleasure of spending time with the refugee students at Las Americas Middle School, tutoring them, hearing stories about their days, and participating in fun activities. I remember the first student I met was Amina , a shy, yet bright girl from Eritrea. Although she rarely spoke, she acknowledged my questions with a nod or shake of her head, and all I knew to do was to keep speaking to her, encouraging conversation and not giving up. By the end of the session, she appeared to open up more than before. She even told me that her favorite school subject was English! From that point on, I knew she–as well as the other students–wanted to speak, but was only hesitant. These students need someone who can overcome the language barrier to understand their situation and be there for them.

Valerie and other UH officers organized a chapter fundraiser

Volunteering with PAIR is such a humbling experience; we encourage students to come out of their shells and strive to reach their highest potential without any fear. I am looking forward to uphold my position as the new Vice President of the UH chapter next semester because I know I will be working together with insightful, caring people for the common goal of helping these students. After seeing the progress of the program in one semester, who knows what great heights we will reach next semester and beyond!

This Month in Photos

Global Explorers session on public safety

Las Americas Global Learners with the University of St. Thomas jujitsu club

There are future engineers in Fondren Global Learners

Global Leaders get oriented to college life at the University of St. Thomas

Meeting with Bhutanese families

Building Human Capabilities: Teachings by and for One PAIR Intern

By Sophie Bonifaz, PAIR Intern

“Man, I hate coming here,” groaned one  particularly temperamental Eritrean boy. He threw his pencil on the table and leaned back in his chair, scowling as he glared at the table and showing all of us that he did not intend on cooperating any time soon.

Before any of the volunteers could speak up, a Karenni^[1] boy his age chimed in, his eyes as wide as his grin. “Then why do you come back?” he asked, lifting his palms and shrugging his shoulders. It took everything we had not to burst into laughter right then and there. It’s a legitimate question, though: why do these kids come back? And the answer is: they get something out of it. But they’re not the only ones.

This summer I was one of three Program Managers put in charge of a brand new PAIR Summer Program, meant to serve as a transition from the spring to fall terms. It was an experiment on many levels: this was PAIR’s first time partnering with Neighborhood Centers’ Baker-Ripley campus for space and transportation; its first time combining students from two different neighborhoods into one program; and, most of all, its first attempt at implementing a structured summer program with not only games, but also English activities, art projects, and even field trips. It was a tall order, but we were determined to do it.

In order to work with any demographic, it’s important to know something about their background, and refugee groups are no exception. Our kids came from Eritrea, Burma, Sudan, Iraq, Pakistan, Nepal, Congo, Cameroon, and more. The children weren’t always technically from the country they considered home, however; some of them were Bhutanese but didn’t identify as such, having been born and raised in refugee camps far from their ancestral origins. There were some who left their countries for fear of political persecution, while others were fleeing genocide and had seen things no child should ever see. They had all lost their homes and many of their belongings, and some had lost much more than that.

Countries of origin for PAIR participants

A person’s capabilities are made up of their opportunities and abilities to achieve desirable outcomes based on their wishes and needs. One might have the right to do something, but that doesn’t mean they have the capability to do it. In the case of these kids, they had had almost all of their capabilities stolen from them at some point in their lives: malnourished and impoverished back home, their families were unable to move freely without fear of attack, their voices virtually silenced, with their cultural affiliations serving as a target rather than a badge of pride. Once in the US, conditions improve, but without English, they have few prospects in the “land of opportunity”.

The largest part of my job was designing the ESL curriculum for a group of sixty kids of diverse skill levels. Some had been to school since they were very small children; others had never held a pencil before coming to the United States. Their verbal command of English varied, and many were shy. I barely knew most of them before the program started, and so getting a good handle on what they needed help on was difficult. But over time, as I helped them fill out their worksheets, as I looked over the results and memorized their handwriting, our relationship improved. I felt a sense of subtle but firm pride, as well as worry. Some of these kids were really bright but, in some cases, it seemed they didn’t practice their English outside of school.

Despite my concern, by the end of the summer, most students felt their English had improved because of the program. That’s a big deal, especially when one considers just how vital it is for their futures to master the language. Not everyone can say that they helped someone get closer to such an important goal, and I’m proud to say I did.

Sophie (third from right) working with PAIR students

In the end, what will stick with me aren’t statistics—what will stick are the memories of the kids. It’s hard not to love the energetic Nepali boy that insists you show him how to draw an elephant, or the elegant Rwandan girl that takes you by the hand to teach you how to play a game she used to play back home. Few things compare to a message online from a clever Pakistani boy asking you when program starts up again, or the trust a child shows you when they begin to open up, even just a little bit, about what happened to them back in their home country.

In the end, it’s not just the work that changes you—it’s the kids. And it shouldn’t be any other way.

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¹ Our students from the country of Burma (Myanmar) prefer to be identified by their ethnic and cultural group(s).

Leave Them Better Than You Found Them

By Amanda Lynn Crawford-Steger, AmeriCorps VISTA

In May 2010, I graduated from college and was forced to become an adult. This meant that, for the first time in my life, I was going to have to make choices that would not have a clear outcome or ending in the same way as high school and college graduations. In the whirlwind of decisions that had to be made that summer following my culmination, I received an email from a representative of PAIR asking me if I may be interested in an AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) position with their organization. I had considered becoming a VISTA in the past but truly hadn’t given it a thought for months. But I thought, “Why not?” As I began to research the organization and found out more about what my position would look like, I became more and more excited about the prospect. I felt the decision had already been made that PAIR was where I belonged, before I even entered the conversation!

For the next year, this feeling of belonging only grew as I was given every opportunity to explore, excel, and grow as a professional and young adult. I gained friends in my coworkers and volunteers, life-changing moments with my students, and a more comprehensive view of the world. PAIR gave me these opportunities, and I accomplished everything I had set to achieve in my year as a VISTA and more.

Through managing the Saturday Sessions program, I was able to witness incredible transformations in my students.

Amanda, left, with program coordinators and two students who won awards for "Most Improved"

I watched kids who were new to the country, extremely shy and reticent to talk, completely come out of their shells to become cheerful and outgoing. I saw young ladies become animated as they learned about the career options available to women in the U.S.—that girls can, in fact, do anything boys can do.

As I sit here on my last day as a member of the PAIR team trying to collect my thoughts on the year, I can’t help feeling a bit overwhelmed. I suppose this is rather appropriate. The mission of PAIR to further the education of refugee youth and ease their transition into the United States can be overwhelming to implement. Yet, the strength and determination of our refugee students is awe-inspiring. The volunteerism and commitment of our university students and community is astounding. The overall vision, willpower, work ethic, and grit of the PAIR team is positively overwhelming.

PAIR has grown exponentially over the last year and I have no doubt that it will continue to do so in the years to come. I count myself lucky to have been a part of this fantastic organization and sincerely hope that I am leaving it better than I found it, as my predecessors have done and my successors will do.

Finding a Different Kind of Summer Vacation

By Mariela Rubio, PAIR Intern

This summer, I spent more time at PAIR than at home, thought about more “just-in-case” plans than you could imagine, and I had dreams about PAIR more than five times. Before now, I had never been a part of something I cared so passionately about, and for which I wanted to devote all of my effort and more. Honestly, PAIR and I are meant to be.

I didn’t plan to volunteer while I was home in Houston for the summer, until this spring, when I received the honor of being named a Rapoport Scholar for The University of Texas at Austin. My scholarship requires 200 hours of community service every summer and, while I was thrilled to receive this award, I was unsure how to find a volunteer opportunity that would be fulfilling and fun.

I began searching organizations online and I found nothing that interested me. I called different places, and all anyone had to offer was volunteering to file and sort papers. I wasn’t looking to do that for 200 hours. Thankfully, when I called PAIR, Nicole, the executive director, described to me what PAIR does and what my role could be if I decided to apply for a summer internship. I was immediately intrigued by the idea of helping youth from all over the world, teaching them new things about Houston and planning fun activities for them to enjoy.

After applying and being interviewed, I was selected to be a program manager for PAIR’s five-week summer Program. As a program manager, I recruited students by visiting them at school and at home, organized field trips, and planned daily social activities and other logistics. During sessions, I led a group of ten students and was able to interact with all 60 students in the program. My experience allowed me to both plan engaging activities and work directly with students, which was most rewarding.

Mariela and students at Brazos Bend State Park

Now that the summer program is over, I realize it was the students who taught me so much more than I could have ever imagined. I now see the best way to help your community is to find something you love and feel passionate about. Volunteering with PAIR was pure bliss. I would wake up in the morning excited, rather than having to drag myself out of bed. Going to the program and seeing the students’ faces, their big smiles, their eagerness to play, and their potential to be extraordinary people was so inspiring. It made me think that some people have the wrong idea about volunteering. To volunteer for the sake of it, without feeling a sense of purpose or benefit, is the wrong approach. I give my time, but I get so much in return. Just a few of the joys I received were hugs from the most adorable kids, a “Miss Mariela, I missed you” after one day of not seeing me, and Friday night phone calls asking, “Do we have program tomorrow?”

PAIR has not only allowed me to understand the needs of a population that is often ignored, but to be active in providing them with tools that will help in their success. Refugee families are sometimes dependent on the success of their children for prosperity. By providing refugee youth in our communities with support in their academics, as well as social and emotional development, we are helping their dreams to be doctors, teachers, and even FBI agents come true. And in turn, everyone can learn from the youth PAIR serves, who are eager to learn, appreciative of opportunities, understanding of right and wrong, and filled with love and humility. Volunteering with PAIR made me become aware that refugees have so much to contribute to society, and we can help make a difference for their future, our community, and the world!

A World of Learning: Lessons Abroad Translate Back in Houston

By Amit Suneja, PAIR Volunteer

At PAIR, we work with displaced people. They were forced from their homes, often as a result of political instability. They lived in camps, relegated to the status of “in transit” as their new host countries tried to find them a stable, suitable, and sustainable living situation.

When I traveled to Brazil, Vietnam, and South Africa this past semester to study public health, I encountered new populations of displaced people. Their circumstances reminded me that these populations extend beyond those who are officially recognized as refugees and given the opportunity to resettle in a host country such as the United States. The people I met abroad and their stories, too, are stories of flight that have broadened my perspective and brought a new urgency to how I think about my work with PAIR. They have provided me with critical lessons that I will take with me, not only for my final year in college as volunteer with PAIR, but for the rest of my life as an advocate for displaced people.

In Brazil, there are millions of landless farmers. Many are part of the Landless Workers Movement, the second largest social movement in Latin America. They occupy private or publicly owned land that they claim is not being “used productively,” and legally acquire the right to farm the land without formally owning it. I visited one of these settlement which was founded over 10 years ago. It struck me that, despite relative stability, inadequate infrastructure and education services were still the norm. They are in a situation that is arguably better, but not ideal. Lesson 1: The legacy of being displaced can live with a population long after they appear settled. They may readjust, but it can be a slow process.

In Vietnam, 25 years after free market reforms were instituted under the economic policies collectively called doi moi, foreign manufacturers are taking advantage of the deregulated, favorable business climate and building factories outside urban areas. During my motorbike trip from Hanoi to central Vietnam, I passed by many factories that were spilling into economically depressed rural areas.

Modern Hanoi cityscape, courtesy of Wikimedia

To support their families, many rural women are forced to work, and they are recruited by agencies promising full-time factory jobs in foreign factories. However, these recruiters sometimes lie about the duration of the work, and after a few months of temporary work, women are left to fend for themselves in cities by engaging in menial labor or sex work. Some women, instead of being taken to a factory, are trafficked into sex work in China or other countries. Lesson 2: Displacement might seem like a choice, but when we examine the circumstances, it is clear that subtle forces (such as economics) are acting to incentivize this movement and coerce people into it.

The story of my South African host family is representative of a population beset by a 40% unemployment rate. I lived in a house of seven women and four children. My first day, I wondered where all the men were. I soon learned the father and four sons were dispersed across South Africa, working in the privatized mining industry, the greatest contributor to the country’s economy. Through readings, films, conversations with my host family, and conversations with locals, I came to understand the plight of many South Africa men – migration to find mine work. During their time working in these mines, men often live in single-sex hostels, working 15 hours days with little pay or benefits. They live under incredible stress, away from their families, and they often drink, amplifying the risk that they will engage in risky sexual activity while they are away from home. South Africa has the highest rate of HIV infection in the world. When investigating this epidemic, one must consider the mining industry’s effect on family structure and human life. The South African situation is incredibly complex, and although the government recognizes the need to nationalize the mines to mitigate these issues, one cannot ignore the overarching implications of this regularized, countrywide mass migration. Lesson 3: Displacement does not just affect individuals. Human relationships mean that if one person flees, those who are brought with or left behind are also affected.

These are only some of the lessons I learned about displaced people while abroad. They are relevant to the work I do with PAIR’s Mentoring and Tutoring Program as detailed below:

Amit tutors a student in PAIR's Mentoring & Tutoring program

1. As much as I work with my students and strongly believe they have progressed, it is critical for me to maintain humility and respect for their situation, and recognize that the legacy of how they were raised and how they have lived is theirs to define, not mine.
2. As I learn about my students’ circumstances, I can never make the assumption that they want to be here forever, that the United States is the end-all for them. Many of my students express a desire to return home, and I must always remember that though they are children, they know what their choices are better than I do.
3. I don’t just work with refugee students. I am part of a community. I work to understand that community, love that community, and ultimately, empower all of those who have been affected by their displacement.

If we look at displaced groups around the world and think about the lesson that can be learned by working in these different environments, we see that their struggle, truthfully, is a united one to find stability, a guarantee of their human rights, and freedom.

A New Place to Call Home

By Mindy Pham, PAIR Volunteer

As a freshman in college, I was looking for many things. I wanted friends, a place that I could call home, and, most of all, a worthy purpose to devote myself to outside of school. I was fortunate enough to find all of these things with PAIR. Throughout high school I was actively involved in the DeBakey American Red Cross Club. After graduating, I searched for an activity through which I could dedicate myself to making a difference in the lives of others. After hearing about the University of Houston PAIR chapter from its president Cecilia, a longtime friend and a graduate of my high school, I knew it would be the perfect place for me.

Through the PAIR training process, we were introduced to the ways in which we should approach and interact with young refugees.  We were told that we could not generalize the backgrounds of these children because they were from all over the world and had been through many difficult, possibly traumatic experiences. We were not to assume that the norms of our society could be imposed upon them so readily. After all, many of them had only recently come to our country.  We were instructed that there would be language barriers to overcome as well as potential tensions between children who could come from different sides of the same conflict.

In short, as volunteers, we did not know exactly what kinds of issues we would encounter upon meeting these children.  For me, a strong sense of my own roots confirmed that I wanted to be part of PAIR. My parents were refugees from the Vietnam War. They arrived to the United States in 1975. Although I am of the second generation in my family, I felt that upon meeting these children there would be a connection because I still carry the hopes that my parents had of fulfilling the “American Dream.”

On my first day as a volunteer at Las Americas Middle School, I was very excited to finally see the faces of our kids.  There were about ten children of a variety of ethnicities. Ryan and Francesca were from the Congo. Amiella was from Burundi.  Alex was from Chad. Fatima, Dema, and Abdullah were from Iraq. As the volunteers and refugee students stood in a circle, I could see the apprehension and ice melting with each smile, laugh, and giggle from volunteer and student alike. We were playing a name game. I introduced myself as “Monkey Mindy,” to which a number of the children giggled at the ridiculous reference.  We soon met Jaguar Jenelle, Tiny Thu, Rainy Ryan, Apple Amiella, and Antelope Abdullah as well as others. After the icebreakers, the volunteers and students split up into small groups in which we got to know each other and play games.

Mindy talks to a student on the first day of the after-school program at Las Americas

The biggest disappointment of the day was that it had to end. It felt like an hour had crept past all of us quite stealthily.  As I looked around at my fellow volunteers, I saw all of the things I had been looking for upon entering college. These were the people with whom I would work and have fun with. The kids that were leaving with smiles on their faces were the purpose I was searching for and our reason to come back every Tuesday. PAIR was home.

Making Houston a Little Greener

By Priya Rao, PAIR Volunteer

Imagine a group of approximately 20 teenagers, sweaty and dirty, digging in the mud for trash. Now imagine them having a blast doing it. Sound crazy? This was the scene at Brays Bayou on March 26, when PAIR College Counseling participated in the Trash Bash at Mason Park.

When I arrived, I saw trash scattered all along the shores of the bayou. The kids arrived earlier than the volunteers did, so the shore was already significantly clearer than it had been before the students went to work. We worked together for a while; some of us held trash bags, and the lucky few who were able to obtain gloves dug into the mud for trash. At first, I wondered how everyone would feel about digging around for trash in the mud, but the kids’ enthusiasm was infectious. I immediately gave up my vague hopes of keeping my clothes clean and joined in the fun.

Students didn't mind getting a little dirty to clean up their community

By the time we left, the condition of the park was significantly improved. The students and volunteers looked tired and happy, and we were thrilled to see the results of our hard work. Instead of trash scattered along the ground, it was contained within numerous garbage bags we had filled, ready for pick up. Future visitors will now be able to enjoy the beautiful surroundings without trash marring their view, and the park environment will be more hospitable for plants and wildlife.

After a quick lunch, we reflected upon our experience participating in community service. Many of the students spoke about how much they liked having fun with their friends and helping the community at the same time. We explained to them that there are always opportunities to perform more community service, from picking up trash, to helping their friends, to tutoring. In order to recognize their enthusiasm and service, every student who attended received a certificate from PAIR.

PAIR mentors and students, who proudly display their certificates of service

At the end of the day, we enjoyed the fruits of our hard work by playing in the clean park. The beautiful bluebonnets and butterflies truly made the day picture-perfect.

I was extremely impressed by the excitement and enthusiasm our students showed for community service. Despite the struggles they have overcome and difficulties they continue to face, our students are eager to make a difference in their communities. Providing them with such opportunities to take action in the community and develop their leadership skills is crucial. I am glad that PAIR can take on this important role.

Among our goals for this trip, we hoped to engage our students and help the environment at the same time. I am happy to say that we succeeded. The park looked great when we left, and many of our students were energized by the day’s activities and spoke eagerly of getting involved in future community service. Who would have thought that picking up a little trash could make such a big difference?

Sometimes All It Takes Is an Email

By Priya Rao, PAIR Volunteer

In October 2009, I received an email from my French professor about a volunteer opportunity with Rice PAIR. She described PAIR as an organization of Rice volunteers who worked with refugee youth from “Burma, Bhutan, Burundi, Iraq, and the Congo,” among others. I had no idea that Houston even had a significant refugee population, despite having lived here all my life. Curious to learn more, I contacted PAIR, and soon, I was ready for my first day as a PAIR College Counseling mentor. PAIR College Counseling works with teenage refugees to help them succeed in high school, apply for college, and prepare them for the future with workshops on topics such résumé building and interview skills.

When I joined PAIR in the fall of 2009, we held our College Counseling sessions on Friday evenings in a small room at the apartment complex where most of our students live. We had 10-15 students at each session. I was immediately impressed by the demeanor of the students. Despite having been uprooted from their homeland and forced to learn a new language, culture, and educational system, our students are among the brightest and friendliest teenagers I know. In fact, I was surprised when the students I was tutoring called me “ma’am,” since I was only 18 years old. After being so impressed by our students’ respectfulness and eagerness to learn, I knew that PAIR was an organization I wanted to support.

Over a year and a half, I have had the privilege of watching PAIR grow and change to serve our students better. PAIR has increased its numbers of students and volunteers, started a campus chapter at the University of Houston, and College Counseling sessions have moved into a new community center at the apartments.

The College Counseling program has evolved to meet the needs of our students. We now offer tutoring sessions on Wednesday afternoons at Westbury High School, where most of our students are enrolled. This lets us meet with them twice a week and help them with any difficulties they may be having. We have made changes to our curriculum, based on suggestions from our students and volunteers.

Regarding our lessons, the Rice PAIR student officers have always been open to hearing everyone’s ideas. Since last fall, PAIR College Counseling has invited volunteers to planning meetings, where we can help prepare lesson plans. This is an excellent opportunity as a volunteer to implement your own ideas and truly shape the direction of PAIR College Counseling.

Soon, some of the students I have mentored since my first day with PAIR will be graduating from our program and pursuing higher education. It is so exciting to see them moving ahead to fulfill their goals, and I cannot wait to hear about their future accomplishments. I know that the skills they have developed with PAIR will help them succeed at college and beyond. Several of our senior students are currently preparing to attend HCC, while some of the younger students are already taking classes at HCC to earn additional high school credit. When I see our students’ hard work pay off, through excellent grades and college acceptance, I am both proud and amazed. Their determination inspires me to be the best PAIR mentor I can be and help them achieve their full potential.

Priya with College Counseling mentees

If I had never received that email during my first semester at college, I would have missed an amazing and eye-opening opportunity. I have loved mentoring and forming friendships with my students. I have met many incredibly passionate volunteers at PAIR who are committed to serving our students. Lastly, PAIR has shown me the importance of educational opportunities in changing someone’s life. PAIR provides a pathway to college and career success for our students, who otherwise may not have had such an opportunity. Seeing its impact on our students inspires me to take further action to ensure all students, regardless of the difficulties they face, have access to education. I hope to make service, especially in the area of education, an important part of my future career.

An email can change your life in unpredictable, amazing ways. It certainly changed mine for the better.