Educational Empowerment

• Isang Bagsak: A Farewell to AALEAD

  Goodbyes and farewells are never easy. They are not meant to be but they are necessary. They are necessary in how we make decisions. They are necess

• Every Ending Has a New Beginning!

  By Ha Nguyen, VA Summer Program Intern Photos Courtesy of AALEAD Staff It is hard to believe that the Summer Horizons program at Virginia has come to an end! I guess the saying is true: Time flies when you are having fun. Over the course of the summer, our middle school and high school youth have come together, persevering through challenges and achieving goals that our staff had set for our program; and at the same time have managed to build a strong bond with one another. At the final day

• And So Our Journey Comes to an End. . . Sort of!

  By Nikki Febrer, MD Summer Programs Intern Photos Courtesy of AALEAD Staff   It’s hard to believe five weeks have passed since the start of Maryland’s Summer Thrive Program. In their final week, youth dedicated their time to working on their PSA videos and poster app challenges. Although no blood, sweat, or tears were actually shed, there was no denying the amount of hard work and effort put forth when each group presented their final projects. I was impressed and awed by their a

• What Have You Discovered?

  By Katie Watanabe, DC ES Summer Program Intern Photos Courtesy of Chelsea Iorlano, Development & Communications Associate After five weeks of excitement, education, and empowerment, our DC Elementary School Summer Program concluded with a closing ceremony called Discovery Day at Thomson Elementary School last Friday. Our youth displayed the numerous projects that they have been working on all summer, from commu

• 3 Ways Youth Broaden Their Horizons with AALEAD VA

  By Ha Nguyen, VA Summer Program Intern Photos Courtesy of AALEAD Staff “A person can grow only as much as his horizon allows.” – John Powell For the past four weeks of summer, VA middle & high school youth have gathered together and opened themselves up to new ideas and experiences through AALEAD's VA Summer Program. You can probably guess from the hints above that the theme for our VA Summer Program this year is none other than “Summer Horizons!” For youth, expandi

• To Boldly Learn What No One Has Learned Before

  By Katie Watanabe, DC Elementary School Program Intern Photos Courtesy of AALEAD Staff   Hello, everyone! My name is Katie Watanabe, and I am the DC Elementary School Program Intern for the summer! I’m writing in with a quick update about all the adventures we’ve been having at Thomson Elementary School these past few weeks! The theme of this year’s summer program is “Discovery.” As you might be able to tell from the title of this post, we are working together to discove

• Greetings From YLan!

  By YLan Nguyen, MD Middle School Program Coordinator Photos courtesy of YLan Nguyen Hey everyone, I am excited to join AALEAD as a Maryland Middle School Program Coordinator! I’m moving into my fourth week as a full-time staff and my experience so far has been nothing short of exciting. The staff has been so welcoming, it’s been great working with everyone. 

  A Summer of Opportunities with AALEAD VA

  By Ha Nguyen, VA Programs Intern Photos Courtesy of Ha Nguyen It is now official, everyone! The glorious summer is finally here right on our door steps inviting us all to step outside in the sun and start our own adventures. I am sure that you already have or are sketching out exciting plans with your friends and family. For me, I will be spending my time interning at AALEAD's Virginia office this summer, and I am so excited for what to come. My name is Ha Nguyen, and I am currently a ris

• Memories at AALEAD: An interview with Lisa, a 5th Grade AALEADer

  By Charles Kuo, AALEAD DC Elementary School Program Coordinator, and Lisa, AALEAD Youth Photos Courtesy of AALEAD Staff As we approach the end of the school year, AALEAD staff and youth reflect on the memories we have made this past year. We also congratulate many of our youth who are transitioning to new schools. Lisa, a 5th grader at AALEAD Bancroft, has been a part of AALEAD for the past four years and will be going to middle school in the fall. In this int

• Senior Send-off: Reflections from a Youth

  By Keo Xiong, AALEAD MD Programs Manager, and Eljoy, AALEAD Youth Photos Courtesy of Keo Xiong, AALEAD MD Programs Manager Time sure flies by when you're having fun! On Friday, June 3, Asian American LEAD M