PAIR Houston BULLETIN
June / 27 / 2018
Photo Credit: BJ O'Neal, owner and photographer of I Imagine Beyond, LLC, & Divinci Roshon

Congratulations to PAIR's Graduating Seniors! 

This month, we celebrated the high school graduation of 18 students in our Leaders and Scholars programs! A few of them are pictured above and below in their caps and gowns.
 
To put that number in perspective, 90 percent of our high school seniors graduated. Two more are finishing up their testing or course requirements and will graduate in August and next January. That means 100 percent of seniors in PAIR last year will complete high school and go on to college - far above the numbers for Houston schools overall.

N early half of PAIR graduates will start their college careers at Houston Community College, while others will be attending University of Houston, University of Texas at San Antonio, Texas A&M University, Prairie View A&M University, and University of Houston-Downtown. The Class of 2018 students have so far been awarded $70,500 in scholarships.

Hooray for the graduates. We are so proud of you and look forward to all that you will accomplish!!
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PAIR Summer Interns

A big welcome to our three summer interns Pendeza (left), Wesley (center) & Gloire (right)! They will be working with PAIR to reduce summer learning loss in our summer program!
WANTED: Adult Mentors for Global Scholars

Alenga (left) & his mentor, Richard (right).
The Global Scholars program enhances PAIR's  existing after-school support for resettled refugee youth in their pursuit of high school graduation, career exploration, and post-secondary education. In this community-based program, adult volunteers are paired with students in 11th or 12th grade of high school. Each mentor commits to supporting and guiding a young refugee for a period of at least one year to help the student develop and reach his or her personal, academic, and career potential.  Mentors must be 21+ and able to pass a background and motor vehicle record check.

Interested applicants must apply online.
Make Your Voices Heard!
Last week, PAIR, along with other members of the Houston Coalition Against Hate and other local organizations representing immigrants, their advocates, and service providers, prepared a statement on federal policy concerning asylum seekers and their families.
 
The statement opposes both the separation of children from their families and the indefinite detention of asylum seekers through family detention. While the administration's executive action last week will end the separation of children from parents, it does not address reuniting those children already separated and it seems to create a new issue in the detention of asylum seekers. This brief video from the ACLU explains the issues clearly.
 
Advocates are urged to call on local, state, and federal officials   to block the implementation of this policy. Events are scheduled around the country on June 30. See the list here.