‘PROGRAM DIRECTOR’ STORIES

“Teachers are mentors, we’re support systems, and at times some of us have to be a second set of parents. If you want to see success, you have to go over and beyond the call of duty.” Read about Zazalleesha Swanson’s experience as a OneGoal Program Director.

In celebration of OneGoal’s 10-year anniversary, we sought to collect reflections from some of the numerous individuals who have helped build the organization. Matthew King co-founded OneGoal, serving as a founding Program Director and going on to join the OneGoal – Chicago Board of Directors where he continues to serve. Here he reflects on how far OneGoal has come.

Lawrence High School Program Director Ainsley Robles reflects on her first year teaching the OneGoal model & watching her students lead a school-wide college fair for their peers.

“I became a OneGoal Program Director because of my students. They would often share with me their challenges with life and their future ambitions. I realized that throughout the school year, my students were missing out on opportunities, not for lack of interest, but because of a lack of understanding and exposure.”

“Meeting more and more kids and their families and helping them through the daunting college preparation process is something I didn’t know I would enjoy so much when I began this OneGoal journey and has now become the greatest joy for me.”

As a teacher, I developed collegiate goals for my students but needed support to help the students want those goals for themselves. Instead of working alone, feeling frustrated, and reinventing the wheel (a wobbly one at that!), OneGoal provided me with a team of people who gave me the resources to not only help my students dream big, but to also help them actually reach those dreams.