This month, we celebrate the hard work of Sabiqa, a junior at Brunswick High School, and her tutor, Cheryl Figg.

Having arrived in this country in 2022 as a young teenager who had been denied schooling in her home country of Afghanistan, Sabiqa has had a lot of ground to cover. Paired with Cheryl in November of 2023, Sabiqa was initially shy and hesitant. But as they got to know each other, and Cheryl tapped into Sabiqa’s interests and goals, Sabiqa’s confidence grew. Two and a half years later, Sabiqa has the verbal and writing skills to express her appreciation for Cheryl: “I am her only student, and that makes me feel very special and thankful. She gives me her full attention and always listens carefully. . . Cheryl helps me with English, but she also helps me understand myself, my feelings, and my goals.” Last summer, knowing Sabiqa was interested in writing, Cheryl helped her apply for a week at The Telling Room in Portland. Then Cheryl drove Sabiqa to and from Portland each day of the session. “At The Telling Room, I met new people and tried new things. I learned how to write and share my ideas.”

Sabiqa also has the long-term goal of becoming a pediatrician, and serendipitously, Cheryl is a retired nurse. Cheryl shared that it has been delightful to see Sabiqa grow from being someone who was content to have her tutor choose all her reading material to a person able to research and select the current book they are tackling together, a memoir of a pediatric resident, A Baby Doctor: Pediatrician Training, by Perri Klass, MD. For Cheryl, “It has been a gift to get to know Sabiqa and explore with her this learning path.” And for Sabiqa, tutoring has been life-changing. “Cheryl has helped me grow, believe in myself, and move forward toward my future. I will always be grateful for her kindness and support.”