Senior Josue Gonzales, a happy and proud member of PALS, has found passion in helping and supporting other students to the best of his ability when they need it most. Becoming that light every PALEE, elementary student, deserves.
“PALS stands for Peer Assisted Leadership, you are basically becoming friends with an elementary student and the whole program is to be a positive role model for the kids and just be there to support them and change them for the better,” Gonzales said.
Gonzales first joined PALS his junior year of high school. Many of his friends were a part of the program and expressed their liking for it. Besides, he enjoyed being around kids and their free spirited energy which soon motivated him to join.
Every PALS member is assigned two kids every school year to support, requiring students to travel outside of school twice a week in order to meet and take care of them. Which has ultimately required Gonzales to find a way to keep up with his two students.
“A challenge for me was finding balance between the two kids and knowing how to balance two personalities because they can be very different,” Gonzales said.
Regardless of their students’ differences, Gonzales makes sure they get the same amount of love and care they need, never treating them any different from one another.
“No matter what, I am trying to be at the best level for both kids and care for them equally and just be there for them no matter what,” Gonzales said.
As Gonzales continues to help these students, he soon realized just how powerful this program really is. To Gonzales, this program holds more meaning than just being a high school elective. He recognized just how big of a role PALS members play in these kids’ lives.
“One thing that I have learned is that you as a person can change so much about one’s life… You don’t know who it can be, it can be anyone like for the kids you are there to be that figure that they can look up to,” Gonzales said.
At the end of his junior year he had to say goodbye to both of his students. Saying goodbye to your PALEE is never easy but remains one of Gonzales most memorable moments during his time in PALS.
“With my first kid we constantly talked the entire time and it was not as emotional. We both left with smiles because we knew we had an entire year of memories to keep each other close.” Gonzales said,” My second kid, even though they were a really quiet kid, he was crying because he really loved me.”
This program was designed for elementary students to help them grow and become a better version of themselves by helping them make connections. But, despite PALS’ main purpose being designed for the benefit of the student, it has affected Gonzales’ life for the better.
“For me, it is the highlight of my day and even my life right now…you are doing a lot for them and they are doing a lot for you and they do not realize it,” Gonzales said.
