“The Mentoring Program has helped me a lot. Sometimes my mentor will go hangout with me and go to AALEAD events with me! Also, she helps me learn a lot of other things about the world around me. Whenever I need help, my mentor is always there for me. She also helps me study for exams, too! My parents really like the Mentoring Program.”
“For me, I entered the last two weeks of the Summer Program. I did volunteer and stopped by a couple of times before. This experience helped me be a better leader because of the fact that I had to take a leadership role after [another leader] left. It was really hard to compete with what leadership was showed previous to when I came. Eventually, I did fulfill what was left behind for my group. All of what I did throughout the summer will help me in my everyday life by reminding myself that I can be a leader in a new situation. I just want to thank [AALEAD] for the opportunity.”
“As an alumnus of AALEAD I have learned how to connect with younger students on a closer level. It’s not just teaching and hoping they learn everything in one breath. It’s more so that as the students grow, I also grow. The experience is so much more worthwhile when both parties grow side-by-side. I have grown to enjoy working with the younger kids and how to show them the easier and fun way to learn and experience the world. I can do this with my younger siblings as well and hope to create a stronger bond with them.”