Sparking My Power

Lesley Luong, Rocketship Mosaic Alumna & KIPP Collegiate Senior

My name is Lesley Luong and I am a proud senior at KIPP Collegiate and a Rocketship Mosaic alum.

I am thrilled to be here today to share the story of my Rocketship experience and to express my gratitude for the incredible impact each of you have on every single Rocketeer’s lives.

I remember my first days at ROMO as a kindergartener vividly. I was a crying mess, overwhelmed by the new environment. But then, Mr. Nadeau, the principal, took time out of his incredibly busy schedule to walk me through the halls, calming me down and reassuring me. From that moment on, I felt comfortable at my new school. Quickly, I was thriving and igniting change in my own life.

That small act of kindness and patience showed me the importance of building relationships with students. It was a moment that I will never forget, and it taught me how empathy, understanding, and relationships can ignite change.

Another fond memory is my first Vietnamese cultural celebration at ROMO. I participated in a fashion show, hitting poses on the runway and having the first ever opportunity to celebrate my family’s cultural traditions. It was so much fun and deeply meaningful to be able to share my culture with others. Today, as the Vice President of my school’s Asian Pacific Islander Association, I am organizing a Lunar New Year celebration to similarly share and teach others about my culture.

As I start my senior year of high school, I know that I am on the path to college because of my experience at Rocketship. It was in the ROMO classrooms that I realized my love for math and decided that one day I would pursue a major in Business Administration with a focus on finance. The support I received at KIPP Heritage, KIPP Collegiate, and Rocketship went beyond academics. It was about putting in the extra effort to help students grow, no matter where they started. Without that support, I wouldn’t have discovered my passion for finance or my confidence as a scholar.

But with that support came high expectations that were crucial to my success. As I look at the younger kids in my high school, I see them struggling in the wake of the pandemic. The gap in their learning is evident. But instead of lowering our standards to accommodate it, we need to revolutionize our approach and help these kids reach their full potential.

That is the power of Rocketship elementary schools. By starting young and providing the support they need, we can set every Rocketeer up for success in the future.

Teachers: your dedication and hard work do not go unnoticed. You have the power to shape lives, just as you have shaped mine. Thank you for everything you do. Let’s continue to inspire, support, and uplift our students, helping them achieve their dreams and beyond.

Published on August 23, 2024