05/01/2026
I had the pleasure of facilitating two programs with Smart Transfer students this week and they showed up even though it was “Senior Skip Day.” They told me this program was a priority, so the festivities could wait 🥹
One highlight was working with a student I first met a few years ago as a freshman during a Teen Science Café session with Dr. Harris. This time, we walked through their college financial aid award letters. Understanding federal and private loans, interest, grants, work-study, and all things money and college is critical, yet too many students graduate without a clear grasp of how these tools shape their financial future.
In our second program, students participated in their first investing lesson which was an exciting step toward building long-term financial confidence.
The icing on the cake was reconnecting with my longtime mentoring partner, Ms. Nabors. During my time as a Working Group on Girls mentor, we volunteered together at the high school. I hadn’t seen her since our high school girls threw me my first baby shower and now that baby is 7! It’s awesome to see she’s still guiding, encouraging, and teaching our students, leading with love.
Thank you to Kayla and Alondra for inviting me to be a part of your program.