Name: Sydney Lono
Year Started at WCC: 2011
Semester Started with TRiO SSS: 2011
TRiO Student Support Services
Welina my name is Sydney Lono and I am a current student at
Windward Community College. I am also a current participant of TRiO Student
Support Services and it is my honor to discuss my benefits and feelings towards
TRiO. Prior to school I worked as a Food and Beverage Manager for 15 years
learning different managerial duties. I never thought I would have return to
school because of my poor choices I made as a child. I was shocked but I built
the courage and went to the school and took a liking to the environment. I was
pretty surprised but very much interested. My return to school has been an eventful and optimistic change, but
without the guidance and support I have received from TRiO I would not be as successful
or confident in my educational path. Here is how TRiO cast its lovely
spell on me.
TRiO always assist me with my FAFSA application process
every time I go through it. They open their doors on every New Years Eve, giving
up their personal vacation time to help students like me, who may need help.
They provide telephone one-on one support assistance through cellphones and
landline phones. They research specific information needed to make the process
easier for students, which I am very grateful for. Scholarships are also a
great focus at TRiO and this year I am so taken with all the support I have
receive from mentors with my application process for Native Hawaiian
Scholarship programs (i.e. Na Hoʻokama, Liko
AʻE, Hawaii
Community Foundation, etc.) Without their assistance it would be difficult and
less likely for me to pursue scholarships as an alternative for income.
Fortunately I am
currently tutoring English 19, 21, 22 &100; History 152, and Political
Science 130 for TRiO and that gives me the great pleasure of helping others as
well as myself. I found my passion through working at TRiO because of the
opportunities they have for students. I am glad I can share my experiences,
struggles, challenges I endure as a new student, and my strengths to other
students. I find clarity in my own challenges with my assignments because of
helping others. TRiO also allows me to work my volunteer hours through their
program. I get the opportunity to work with influential people in the
educational system and serve my community at the same time. I find interest in
helping TRiO because I know in return I will be giving full support and backbone
encouragement completing any challenges with school. It has been proven on many
occasions so far.
As a student
supplies can be a costly item and trying to complete all assignments is always
a high price to pay, but I always can count on TRiO for simple things like a
“27ʻ in Mac Computer” and “FREE” printing in color or standard
black and white. Here are a few other supplies they offer: papers, staples,
paper clips, clips, led, pens, colors, markers, post-its, folders, index cards,
colored paper, hard paper, and many different specialize painting supplies and
other course needs. Finally as a student at WCC I can truly say I look forward
to every time the clock strikes 12:45, that means lunchtime at TRiO. TRiO
serves the best-mixed tuna sandwich, to ham and cheese, but my favorite is the
red hot dog day—this all in support of students’ educational experiences with
one another. We get to share our knowledge we are learning with other students,
we get to discuss different views on class topics, but most of all we get to
interact with one another on just about anything. Its even better when the
mentors mingle with the student and give their suggestion any chance they get,
and share the knowledge and ideas on an type of questions. That’s just what students’
needs—encouragement.
I look forward
to graduating in the spring 2014 from WCC with my Associate of Arts in Hawaiian
Studies and plan to transfer to the University of Hawaiʻi Mānoa in the fall 2014. I am looking
forward to participating in the Hawaiianuiakea program at UH Mānoa and there
are already a few students in this program who participated with TRiO @
WCC. I am currently 75% completed with
my prerequisites with support and guidance from TRiO. I really did not
understand this educational process, requirements and the results of all my
work, but at TRiO I can see much more clearly what it will take to complete my
education. I am not too sure where
this wide road of education will take me, but I know throughout my education I
will always fall back on TRiO @ WCC I am thankful for my personal connection I
share with the staff and team. I am also grateful for the student I get the
chance to interact with at TRiO every morning, noon and night. The team at WCC
TRiO is by far the greatest team to work with, easy going and very AKAMAI (smart).
I want to thank
you in advance for giving me this opportunity to write on behalf of TRiO
Student Support Services and how they have catapulted my future and the future
of many. The world will be filled with knowledge due to people, places and
things such as TRiO.
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