Many of the students who attend SHIM’s Youth Mentoring program are inspired to follow their dreams. One of these students is Florence. She came to SHIM in 8th grade after arriving to the United States from Rwanda. English was difficult for her, so a staff member bought a Kinyarwanda-to-English dictionary to help her with her homework. She quickly became acclimated and immersed herself in the Youth Mentoring program. Through homework help, mentoring, running club, field trips and more, Florence was able to improve her English, do well academically, and developed close relationships with students and staff. As a holistic human services organization, SHIM recognized that Florence’s family members also needed assistance as they adjusted to life in the United States. SHIM’s Family Center provided a welcoming space for the whole family to access resources and to make Pittsburgh feel more like home. In June 2021, Florence graduated from Baldwin High School and Youth Mentoring staff helped her apply to CCAC’s nursing program. Florence was accepted and she started classes in September. SHIM is thankful to have played a part in her journey and are so proud of how far she’s come.
