Finding the reason why we do what we do day in and day out is an important part of feeling fulfilled. For most of us, this applies to a career, a job, or whatever occupies most of our time each day. Searching within ourselves for that why helps put things into perspective, and this is exactly what happened when we asked our staff this very important question: why do you do what you do?

10^th grade mentor Mrs. Amy Kendrick has been a mentor at AHCCS for almost 7 years. She felt at home when transitioning into this role because she loves helping young people and has always seen them as valuable, full of potential and capable of achieving what they desire in life. Mrs. Kendrick feels that AHCCS is always trying new ways to engage and connect our students in order to tap into that potential she sees so clearly. She tells us why she loves having the opportunity to be another layer of support for our students and families.

My job is to encourage the students that excel to keep on their trajectory, while remembering that the students who struggle need additional supports, communication and encouragement,” Mrs. Kendrick says. “Finding out how to meet the needs that each individual student has can be both challenging and rewarding.

What makes Mrs. Kendrick such a great mentor is that she recognizes that life is hard sometimes, and the transition into a cyber environment can be another challenge that some of our students face. She feels that being there for those students in a way that shows them that she really does have their backs can be a game changer. While some students come to AHCCS and thrive right away, others have barriers that make it difficult for them to have the same level of academic success as their well-adjusted peers. Mrs. Kendrick shares why helping students overcome adversity is her favorite part about being a mentor. 

There are just no words for seeing a student find their inner strength after overcoming a challenge or seeing a student take a risk that then allows them to discover that they’re bigger than their fear,” she says. “When a student connects with me or another staff member and realizes that we do really care and we’re not just filling their ears with words, or when a student takes a step towards a positive change and finds that some of their stress is alleviated through being proactive; these are the best moments of being a mentor.

Thank you for all you do to make AHCCS a wonderful place to be, Mrs. Kendrick! We hope you continue to follow your why in all you do!