With SHIM Youth Mentoring Graduates Preyanka and Anmol
Last month, seniors graduated from high school, ready to start their young adult lives. We spoke with two students who attended SHIM’s Youth Mentoring program to hear their thoughts on what comes next.
Preyanka came to Pittsburgh from Nepal in 2015. She remembers life in a refugee camp, noting that there were no buses, so everyone walked everywhere. Preyanka thinks one of the biggest differences was between the education systems. In Nepal, she just learned basics like how to speak English, but here in the US she learned many subjects on a deeper level. When her family first moved to Pittsburgh, they utilized SHIM’s food pantries but have since become self-sufficient and no longer need the resources.
Anmol came to America when she was just 7 months old from Nepal. After living in upstate New York and Ohio, her family moved to Pittsburgh when she was a freshman in high school. As she settled into her new home in Baldwin-Whitehall, her aunt suggested that she check out SHIM’s Youth Mentoring program. She joined her cousin Dilisha, who had been attending for several years. After getting over the initial feeling of intimidation from joining such a large group, Anmol invited her friend Preyanka to join her.
“At first I was so intimidated, there were so many people there.” -Anmol
SHIM’s Youth Mentoring program hosts more than 150 students throughout the year, with approximately 70 attending homework help sessions and mentoring groups regularly. Some of Anmol’s favorite activities were cooking and mock trials. She enjoyed judging a case based on facts instead of the people presenting.
Preyanka especially enjoyed volunteering, which helped her see things from a different perspective. Whether they were picking up trash, handing out meals to the homeless, or organizing diapers for distribution, she got close with people in her community.
“I didn’t know there were so many opportunities to help people. I realized I can actually make a difference in people’s lives.” -Preyanka
Both students enjoyed playing soccer with SHIM’s partner Open Field, especially since the students involved in the program were so culturally diverse. They appreciated the chance to meet students from outside their own community.
A major focus of SHIM’s Youth Mentoring program is preparing students for life after high school. During the 2024-25 school year, SHIM launched the SHIM Scholar program to further support juniors and seniors in goal setting and college/career readiness. The program included monthly one-on-one guidance sessions and workshops on credit, law, psychology, mental health, and other important topics. They also participated in monthly medical classes through a partnership with the University of Pittsburgh Medical School. Seniors conducted interviews with juniors, to help them think about how to present themselves professionally. Students even participated in a ‘secret Santa’ scholarship exchange, where they did research for fellow students on potential college scholarships.
“Learning about credit was really big- most of us are going to take out a credit card or have a loan for a car or house, so we learned skills to prepare.” -Anmol
Preyanka and Anmol, who both achieved perfect attendance as SHIM Scholars, appreciated the opportunity to tour colleges, talk to financial advisors and professors, and talk to current college students. After checking out local colleges and universities, both students decided to attend Carlow University to pursue nursing degrees.
“I liked being able to see the colleges for myself, not just rely on what other people said.” -Preyanka 
Preyanka and Anmol appreciated the chance to learn about the medical field up close. They learned how to use different tools and even toured the University of Pittsburgh’s Medical School. They also thrived within the SHIM Scholar framework of setting SMART goals with SHIM’s academic specialist Lex Garcia. Students had the chance to come up with their own ideas and were guided to set realistic endpoints and timelines to achieve each goal.
“Miss Susie [SHIM’s Youth Mentoring Coordinator] and Miss Lexie didn’t pressure us; they just helped us plan. They kept checking in to see our progress and helped us feel like our goals were attainable.” -Anmol
“Knowing that someone knows about your goals and are ready to help was very encouraging.” -Preyanka
Participating in SHIM’s Youth Mentoring program helps students gain confidence while building a tight-knit peer network. It also connects students to the outside world in a way they might otherwise lack access to. Through field trips and job shadow connections, SHIM assists students as they navigate educational and social challenges.
“SHIM gives you the networking you need to branch out onto your own path and to help you make your own life after high school.” -Anmol
“It helps you connect with outside people and make new friends, not just at school but within your community. SHIM helps teens but they also help whole families. Come and see how SHIM can help!” -Preyanka
As Anmol and Preyanka look towards their futures in the nursing field, both are ambitious in their visions for their careers. Anmol wants to become a registered nurse and then go back to school to attain additional certifications. Preyanka is considering nursing in the pediatric field to channel her compassion towards helping kids. Both students noted that one of the reasons they chose nursing was for that job field’s stability.
Now that they’re done with high school, they have advice for current students.
“Challenge yourself and form your own opinions.” -Anmol
“Don’t wait to challenge yourself, start when you’re a freshman. Come and try SHIM’s programs, you’ll get a lot from it.” -Preyanka
If you’re interested in learning more about SHIM’s Youth Mentoring program, check out more on our Youth Programs webpage.
