Alumni
Success Stories

For many high school students, graduation year is a demanding time that requires balancing school, work, exams, and post-secondary applications. But for the class of 2020—including Lisa—these demands were amplified by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For Lisa, the impact of the pandemic was felt at home and at school. Both of her parents lost their jobs, and with many responsibilities adding up, she often found herself worrying about the future. This took a toll on Lisa's mental health. "It got to a point where my counselor at my school would nag me to talk about my mental health," Lisa explains. "But it always felt like I didn't have the time to deal with it, between tests and big school projects."

Amid a global crisis, Lisa, like many students, had to find new ways to be resilient and persevere. One way she came to do this was through her Pathways mentor. When Lisa was too busy to explore career options in high school, her mentor helped her set up meetings with professionals and pointed her to scholarship workshops. That's how Lisa came to discover that when things get difficult, one valuable strategy is asking others to lend you a hand. "My Pathways mentor really helped." Lisa recalls. "When she invited me to these events, I really got to connect with others. I wouldn't have been able to do this by myself with all of the stress from school."

As her relationship with her Pathways mentor grew, Lisa was able to find new ways to ask for help and talk about her mental health. These conversations were not easy to have at first. But in the comfort of a safe, one-on-one relationship with her mentor, Lisa was able to share her experiences and gain a new perspective. More so, Lisa felt empowered by relying on a trusted partner to get through hard times. "I've been more mindful of my mental health and of finding a balance between school and life," Lisa explains. "That's definitely something that my mentor emphasized."

The future still looks uncertain for many, but Lisa and her classmates have a unique achievement under their belt: they graduated from high school during a global pandemic. It's an experience that she's not likely to forget anytime soon, and one that, like many students in her year, required a change in perspective and a focus on self-care. "If I think back to Grade 10 or 11, I would have never imagined that things would look this way today. What I've learned is that it's really important to just keep finding new ways to approach challenges and overcome barriers."

Kashish first joined the Pathways Program in Grade 9, a few years after immigrating to Canada from India with her family. Kashish remembers her initial transition to a new country wasn't always easy, but Pathways gave her an important sense of belonging.

Today, she works as a math and science tutor at Pathways Rexdale and takes pride in building that same sense of community she felt—only now, she's the one helping students feel supported in challenging times.

Discussing tutoring during the pandemic, Kashish recounts a story of bonding with a student over a shared interest. This experience allowed the student to build important social connections, which are crucial to keeping students engaged during times of isolation. "He would join me for virtual tutoring every Tuesday from four to six," Kashish explains, "he'd stay the whole time, even if his work only required an hour."

And it's not just about maintaining social contact. By fostering resilience in students through a tight knit community, Pathways Rexdale staff are also tackling another key challenge: addressing learning loss after a year of virtual schooling. Kashish recalls that earlier this year, students were struggling to keep up with learning basic math concepts. "In Grade 9, students learn a lot about [the mathematical concept of] slopes. But this year, many of them missed out on this topic entirely and realized they would need to catch up in order to continue their education."

To tackle this challenge, Pathways staff, including Kashish, had to get creative. By relying on the strong sense of community at Pathways Rexdale, the program location quickly adapted their programming—instead of just offering day-to-day homework help, they also introduced special weekly drop-in lessons focused on teaching students those fundamental concepts. This allowed students to catch up on what they had missed, regardless of where they were in the school year.

With this approach, students were able to lean on the trusted relationships they formed at Pathways to overcome knowledge gaps in a safe and supportive environment. "Pathways took the time to address this challenge by arranging tutors to offer these new sessions," Kashish explains. "Together, we're working to fill the knowledge gap that developed during the pandemic."

As Kashish reflects on her long tenure with Pathways—first as a student, and now as a tutor—one lesson stands out. While hard times come and go, community is here to stay. "Whether in high school, in university or even after university," Kashish explains, "Pathways always has a part to play."

Nike joined the Pathways Program in Grade 9. It's during this time that he developed a passion for video editing and met some key mentors who inspired him to go after big opportunities like a multi-year scholarship and a job at a widely renowned video editing firm. "You never know where that one relationship will take you," Nike reflects.

As an aspiring creative professional and a young small business owner, Nike was aware of the need to acquire practical skills like filming, editing, and knowing what equipment to use. In fact, he had started a video club in his high school to help others develop these abilities. But what he quickly came to realize was that entrepreneurial projects, even in the arts, also require a strong knowledge of financial planning. "I think the art is probably the smallest part," Nike explains. "The financial side plays an incredible role, because if you don't have that financial literacy lens, your business is going to suffer."

It's through a trusted mentor at Pathways that Nike first heard about the TD Scholarship for Community Leadership—a prestigious award given to students who demonstrate strong leadership within their community. While he recalls being intimidated by the financial amount attached to the award, Nike's Pathways mentor encouraged him to apply after noticing his work giving back to other students. With both a financial award and the opportunity for a rotating work experience at TD included as part of the scholarship, his mentor saw it as the perfect opportunity for Nike to complement his creative skills while gaining valuable business knowledge. Just a few months later, Nike was awarded the scholarship and started his first role at TD. "I think that speaks to the power of mentorship and having people that believe in you," he explains.

As part of the scholarship, Nike worked as a bank teller for a year. He recalls that this frontline experience in the world of finance allowed him to understand how the right business decisions are crucial to entrepreneurial success. "It really just forced me to get comfortable with numbers and accounts," Nike notes. "That was a big plus when it was time to figure out what business accounts should I go with for my own ventures."

With this financial literacy developed through work experience, Nike was able to grow his business in other ways, like expanding his customer base and developing his creative skills. Today, he continues to juggle a busy full-time job and various entrepreneurial projects using the skills he acquired through the scholarship. And there is one thing he's sure about: he couldn't have done it without the supports of trusted mentors he met at Pathways and in the community. "Whether at Pathways or at work," Nike reflects, "I've come to learn life is all about connections and relationships." Looking forward, he is committed to keep developing his craft without losing sight of his lifelong commitment: helping others achieve their dreams. "When you get to this point," Nike explains, "you start to think about how you can help more people in the same way that someone else helped you."

Korinne was part of the first cohort of students enrolled in the Pathways Program in Shawinigan, Quebec. The transition from elementary school to high school was difficult for Korinne—she was separated from her friend group and struggled to bond with other students in her new school.

Through the Pathways Program, Korinne was paired with a supportive adult mentor who she could talk to about these difficulties. "I could talk to someone who really understood me and didn't judge me. I could tell her how I was feeling and know that I was not alone. It was a break from everything that was going on," says Korinne.

However, the supports Korinne received through the program went beyond her one-on-one relationship with her mentor. In her final years of high school, having access to a math tutor was essential for her academic success. She took advanced math courses in order to have access to more opportunities in post-secondary education, but she struggled with the course material. "I remember having such bad grades in math. I got 40 per cent on a test and I went in the bathroom and cried," explains Korinne.

Korinne took the test to her Pathways tutor, who helped her to understand the concepts and boosted her confidence in the subject. Before long, she was attending tutoring sessions four times a week. "Seeing that I was able to do the work and knowing that with a bit more time I could understand the problems was really motivating. It helps a lot to be told, ‘Yes, you can do it.' I was really lucky to have that," Korinne reflects.

The tutoring support enabled her to pass her math classes and obtain her high school diploma. Korinne remembers her tutor attending her high school graduation and celebrating her final marks with her. "I was proud of myself because I succeeded. Everyone there looked so chic in their green robes and was so happy with their diploma in their hands, there was a feeling of community and shared success. It was a really, really nice moment," says Korinne.

After graduating from high school, Korinne used her Pathways scholarship to support with the additional costs of attending cégep in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, where she studied languages including Spanish, German, Italian, and English. Currently, Korinne is working towards a degree in Teaching French as a Second Language at the University of Montreal and is employed as a substitute teacher with the Montreal School Board.

Korinne is still in contact with her tutors and mentors at Pathways Shawinigan and believes all students would benefit from the supports that Pathways has to offer. "High school is so chaotic sometimes, so the program is there at the perfect time. It's really comforting to know that someone is always there and has your back," says Korinne.