As a junior attending Hunter College, Kimberly Polanco (age 20) is an aspiring teacher. As a College Bridge Coach at International Community High School, she hopes to not only build up her teaching skills, but to build up those students she works with everyday. Kimberly emphasizes the importance of students having someone that looks like them able to aid in their post-secondary planning. As a Latina woman, she uses her experiences and ambition to motivate her students towards the paths they wish to be on.
What was your motivation for becoming a College Bridge Coach?
I want to become a teacher, so I thought maybe working in a school as a school aide or just helping out would give me some source of experience. It is something that I can put on my resume and use when I start applying to schools once I obtain my teaching license.
What was the process like?
I went to talk to the school principal. I was not looking for something in particular, but in the school setting because I felt it is something that will help me a lot in my career. The principal recommended the CARA College Bridge Coach position and said, “I feel that you can be really good for this position and I feel that the students will get along with you really well, so I want you to do the training and talk to another coach about her experience.” This is how I learned about the position. I did not know what a Bridge Coach was and what the job description was. I remember looking at a Bridge Coach when I was a student, but I never thought that it was an actual job. Even though it is not the same as being a teacher, in a way you are like a mentor and the experience of working one-on-one with the students. I feel like it is practice for me and it helps me ask myself ‘How can I support the students? How can I explain this to them in a way that they understand, and not leave the office feeling confused or discouraged?’ Which is basically what the teachers are doing on a daily basis. Working one on one will make the process of being in a classroom easier for me.
I get a lot of satisfaction from doing this, just being able to help students. I can be working with one hundred students, and if I can help one and they leave the office feeling happy or motivated, I feel that my job is fulfilled. I never thought that I would like it –sometimes you feel that things are meant for you and this is what I feel. At first, I was scared and worried; I told my supervisor that there was no way students would come to me to ask for help and there was no way that I could connect with them. However, now they are so happy to see and work with me. The way they connect with me is unique.
What are you hoping to accomplish with this position?
As a Latina and someone that works closely with minority groups, sometimes we don’t feel represented in society, especially in college, school, work environments, and in the media. You don’t see a lot of people like us, which is something that makes me feel sad. Sometimes I say to myself, ‘That is the way society is structured,’ but I feel sometimes students don’t get the opportunity to work with people that look like them and motivate them.
I never thought that I was going to be able to be enrolled in college. I didn’t know the language and that made me feel like I didn’t matter, that I wasn’t important and that I didn’t have anything to offer. Now, I have a really important job in my hands where I can try to reach students, letting them know that they can apply to college. Even though they don’t know the language, they can go to college, obtain a degree, and start working on what they like.
This is part of my journey; finding that confidence and thinking that I can actually do it. For me, it is not just about helping students fill out applications and help them figure out what they want to do. It is more about helping them realize their potential, and that their status or where they come from does not define who they are. This is what I want to accomplish, help immigrant and minority students to feel represented.
Do you recommend this job to others?
I definitely recommend this job to other folks. If someone wants to become a teacher, I recommend something like this. I used to be shy and it took me a while to be able to speak up and give my opinion about things. This is something that scared me about this job and it made me ask myself if I was able to build a relationship with students. In this job, even though you are helping others, you are also helping yourself in life and in the workforce. When I used to have a problem, I always thought it was impossible to resolve it, but this job helped me realize that there is always a way to figure things out. This is something that I am implementing in my personal life. Training has helped me realize that I can navigate through my own life and figure things out on my own. It was hard for me to take initiative and be a leader for others, so this is something that this job has helped me with. For example, suggesting things to my supervisor. Trying to be positive. As a high school student I had a hard time figuring things out, so this job helps you to bring out a different side of yourself or find things in you that you never thought you had. Like being a role model for others.