As part of a recent mentoring event, Quanaisa and Ariel filled out this Phenomenal Me worksheet. Quanaisa wrote ‘I am awesome because I’m a cheerleader. I am awesome because I love dogs. I am awesome because I’m thankful. I am awesome because I’m flexible.’
When Ariel Lawrence reached out to Peter Paul Development Center, she told mentoring program coordinator CasSandra Calin that she wanted to work with a quiet student. Ms. Calin had the perfect student in mind. Quanaisa Hubbard is a 3rd grader and painfully shy. CasSandra hoped that pairing Quanaisa with Ariel would help the 3rd grader open up.
Ariel and Quanaisa were first matched in November of 2014. In just a few months, the two have quickly warmed up to one another. “I was looking for an opportunity to challenge myself and give my time to something good” Ariel said of her mentoring interests. She found that at Peter Paul and in Quanaisa, saying that visiting the Center feels like she is part of a good thing. The two love to play Uno, read books, draw and just talk.
“I love Quanaisa’s spirit and energy, and I am especially in awe of the way that she sees the world” Ariel shared. Quanaisa is still quiet but blossoms when she is with Ariel. Ariel gives Quanaisa a safe place to express herself, building her confidence. Quanaisa gives Ariel something that cannot be put into words, something you can only know and feel as a mentor.