"Honestly, I think Student 2 Student saved me."
Diamond Landrum moved from Paris, France, to San Antonio last year. Like many military children, she's used to moving, but that doesn't make it easy. She enrolled in Madison High School as a sophomore in the middle of a pandemic. Juggling a new school, new faces, and virtual and in-person learning was enough to overwhelm anyone. It made making new friends an even greater challenge.
Everything changed when she joined Madison's Student 2 Student (S2S) program. S2S is an award-winning program in which civilian students at every campus in the District help military children make that transition as smoothly as possible. When Family Specialist and S2S Sponsor Sabrina Lara reached out to Diamond, it changed her life.
"Last year, I had nobody," said Diamond. "But I got an email from Mrs. Lara inviting me to breakfast and then I started making friends. Now, I want to make other people feel as welcome as they made me feel last year."
Joining S2S gave Diamond a friend group and the confidence to branch out and get involved. She's now a member of the soccer team and is embracing a leadership role as an S2S Ambassador on campus. Diamond also joined the Frances Hesselbein Student Leadership Program (FHSLP) at the United States Air Force Academy to strengthen her leadership skills. This opportunity was made available to sophomores and juniors thanks to the District's partnership with the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC).
S2S empowered Diamond to embrace a leadership role and make Madison her second home. Her success is a testament to the mission of the program and a prime example of why every elementary, middle and high school campus in the District adopted this program.
On Wednesday, April 20, North East ISD will celebrate the Month of the Military Child with "Purple Up! For Military Kids" Day. It's a day for community members to wear purple to show support and thank military children for their strength and sacrifices.
Student 2 Student is one of the many resources NEISD has in place to make the transition to a new city and school a smooth one. Click here to learn more about the services available to our military families.
