Alt text: Ilona smiles for a close-up portrait, next to the words “Ilona, we wish you well!”
This week, we will say goodbye to Ilona (she/they) as she begins her next chapter in her journey as a student teacher. As you may know, Ilona is a person of many talents. Teacher by day and figure skater by night, they consistently shoot for the stars when it comes to their many passions. In fact, they just recently started their teaching practicum at Mount Baker Junior High in Deming, WA.
After building so many incredible connections, this will not be as easy goodbye for Ilona. She tells us that she will cherish the many relationships she has built with students through AVID classes at Options High School and various financial aid events. As a first-generation college student, Ilona connects with students on a deeper level over shared experiences and students’ exciting hopes for the future. Some of her best memories, she says, are the mini celebrations she shared with students and their families after completing the FAFSA/WASFA. Ilona leaves their students with one piece of advice…to practice self-advocacy, in both high school and beyond!
“Self-advocacy is a really important skill to practice in college. If you are unclear about something, do what you need to do to figure that out!”
In the Fall, Ilona will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Inclusive Education from Western Washington University, along with minors in Sociology, and Education & Social Justice. At FuturesNW, her quick wit and fun-loving personality will sorely be missed by both her students and our team. We will celebrate her moving forward by recognizing her valuable impact and continuing to foster her deep love for education.
Hats off to you, Ilona. We couldn’t be more proud!