Intern Introduction: Greetings from Dong!

By Dong Zhou, DC Elementary School Program Intern
Photo Courtesy of Dong Zhou, DC Elementary School Program Intern

Hello everyone, my name is Dong Zhou, and I am Asian American LEAD’s (AALEAD) Fall 2014 DC Elementary School Program Intern! I am currently a college student studying Education at American University. This fall, I am a part of the Washington Mentorship Program, which gives me the chance to intern twice a week to explore my interests and get experiences outside of the classroom.

I have been in the United States for four years now. I went to high school in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Louisiana. I know it sounds a bit weird that I went to high school in three different states, so if you want to know the reason why, don’t be afraid to ask! I love playing ping pong (table tennis) and I also enjoy cross-country skiing. I played ping pong for seven years in China, and I also participated in cross-country skiing for two years when I was in high school. If you’re interested in these sports as well, let me know and maybe we can play together sometime!

I applied for this internship with AALEAD’s DC Elementary School Program because I am interested in education and understanding more about youth development. I also personally identify with many of these children and am eager to use my Mandarin language skills to learn more about this population in DC. I am excited to get to know all of the students soon!