In late August the first two students supported by the Afghan Scholars Initiative begin their senior year at Gould Academy. Their first year in the U.S. was marked by the challenges of academic, cultural, and emotional adjustments. In every respect, Sikander and Meetra proved themselves equal to the task. Both students finished the year with new friends, increased confidence and skills to achieve their goals, and a stronger academic foundation for their senior year and beyond. Their achievements are the manifestation of our mission, and we at ASI hope their story will inspire your continued support for Meetra, Sikander, and those who will follow in their footsteps.

Meetra
During her first year in an English-only learning environment Meetra

• made the honor roll
• was elected to the National Honor Society by the faculty
• participated in a seven-day winter camping trip in the White Mountains
• received the “most improved” award on the equestrian team
• volunteered at a local childcare center
• spoke at multicultural days at local high schools
• received a scholarship to the Haystack Art Center Workshop

This summer she lived in Massachussetts with former Gould Academy parent and trustee Dr. Sue Long, during which time she has begun touring colleges, preparing for the TOEFL and SAT and attending a conference for college and secondary school admissions officers at the Hotchkiss School where she shared her experiences transitioning to school in the U.S.

In August, Meetra shadowed an administrator at the UN, where she learned, among other things, about the power dynamics that influence aid to refugees and struggling nations. A valuable lesson was learned, when Meetra saw firsthand that politics are inextricably tied to the decisions of organizations like UNICEF and UNHCR. In a recent email, Meetra reflected on her experience at the UN. “I hated politics before, but now I see how important it is. I think the best way to beat a politician is political tactics.”

Sikander
A brief review the recognitions Sikander received at the end of his first nine months of school in the U.S:

• a GPA that qualified for high honors and a place in the National Honor Society
• three book awards for earning the highest GPA in History, Mathematics, and French
• the Dartmouth book award for character, contribution to the school, and academic promise
• selection to Phi Beta Kappa
• elected by his peers as a student proctor for the 2009-2010 school year.

But perhaps Sikander sums it up best in his own words, “Having lived a life in which hope for the future was very rare to embrace, I have experienced a completely different life in America.”

Sikander is also becoming a leader in the Gould community by reaching out to his peers and educating the community about life in Afghanistan. Informal conversations with his peers about Afghanistan inspired Sikander to give cultural presentations during school assemblies and through the international club at Gould. At the end of his first year at Gould Sikander was elected by his peers to be a student proctor during his senior year, a position in which he will mentor fellow students and take part in the formal student leadership at his school.

Sikander spent the majority of his summer at Georgetown University, where he received a partial scholarship to enroll in the program “Fundamentals of Business: Leadership in a Global Economy.” He also attended a conference for college and secondary school admissions officers/ counselors titled “Transition in a changing landscape,” where he spoke on a panel about the experience of attending school in the U.S. as an ESL student from a developing country. With his senior year set to begin, Sikander continues to study for the TOEFL and SAT and he has already begun the college search and application process as he prepares to fulfill his goal of attending a U.S. college or university.