Fatima is a graduate of the Pathways Program in Lachine, Class of 2024. She is currently studying Humanities at Cegep du Vieux Montréal but plans to go into Marketing.
The journey to high school graduation seemed difficult for Fatima. Her grades were slipping, and she was at risk of repeating another year of school. On top of that, with three younger brothers, her family life was really busy. “It was hard to focus on my own work.”
Fatima’s mother encouraged her to join the Pathways Program: “She already put my older brother in the program, so she thought, why not put me through the program, too? I also wanted help with raising my grades.”
One support worker in particular, Stéphanie, was a source of encouragement for Fatima. She was there for Fatima when she needed help with math and introduced her to some studying techniques. “I used to be too shy to ask for help because I was afraid of looking stupid. But when Stéphanie took the time to help me out, it made me feel so much better. She never made me feel like I was bothering her.”
With time, Fatima started seeing an improvement in her grades and felt more confident in her performance at school. Whenever she felt discouraged or wanted to give up, Stéphanie would say two words to her: sois constante, which, in English, translates as stay consistent. “At first, I was annoyed by how often she’d say that to me, but then it started to click and make sense. And now I’ll never forget those words. It kind of turned into an inside joke between the two of us.”
When Fatima and her family moved, it was a challenge since it meant she wasn’t going to Pathways as often because of the distance. “It was tough at first because even though I was still at the same school, I couldn’t hang out with my friends after school. And I was used to going to Pathways a few days a week, so it was an adjustment to go from that to only going once a month.” Despite the distance, Stéphanie and Fatima continued to stay connected. On top of the monthly visits, Pathways staff went to Fatima’s school during lunchtime to support her and other students in the program. “They were still there for me whenever I needed them. And they continued to check on me and remind me that I was never alone.”
When Fatima was thinking about her next steps after high school, Emmanuela, another staff member, helped her throughout that process. “Emmanuela helped me figure out how tuition works, what classes to take, what tools to bring, and so much more.” Fatima became one of the first in her family to graduate from high school, and she is now enrolled at Cegep du Vieux Montréal, studying Humanities.
Fatima’s relationship with Pathways didn’t end at high school graduation. Now at Cegep, she continues to stay in touch with Emanuelle through a Pathways initiative for students transitioning from high school to post-secondary education. “College is so different from high school—there’s much more freedom, but it can also feel lonely. It’s great knowing that Emmanuela is still there to help me whenever I need support.”