In a school of about a thousand students, it is often easy to fall into the shadows of the hustle and bustle of the hallways. This is where Pelham Pals comes in. Under the leadership of junior Nahian Ehtesham, new students gather each Wednesday in room 254 to get to know each other, as well as veteran Pelham students, and learn about the Pelham community itself. While our new peers discover what makes Pelham special, the community is opening its arms wide to its newest members.

One such student is junior Josep Garcia. (Disclosure: Since Josep’s primary language is not English, he was assisted in the interview by Pelham Pals member Leyla Radosta, junior.) Josep is not your average PMHS student. Hailing from Spain, his arrival in Pelham was his first time ever in America.

Josep is excited, yet nervous, to be a part of a new school in a different part of the world. After all, who would not feel anxious living somewhere unfamiliar? He does appreciate some things about this new community. He expressed his favorite thing about Pelham with one word, “teachers.” In particular, his Spanish teacher Mrs. Brown is one person who has made a difference and has been an integral part of what has made his Pelham experience particularly welcoming. Josep is especially happy to be able to communicate with Mrs. Brown in Spanish because it allows him to feel understood and helps provide him with resolutions to any confusion he has.

Josep is active in the Spanish club as well as Pelham Pals, and looks forward to being involved in other school activities so he may get to know more students in the school.

Favour Ella is a new student who’s had some unique experiences in different communities across the globe though this is her first time in America. Her father is a Nigerian diplomat, which has taken Favour across the world and given her the opportunity to live among many groups of peoples and cultures. Originally from Nigeria, Favour was born in India, raised in China, and now joins our school in Pelham. Despite her frequent moves, she is very excited about coming to Pelham. Favour noted she finds the town quiet, and the school huge in comparison to those she has attended previously. As with Josep, Favour commented on the fact that all her teachers have been very nice and welcoming to her. She hopes to be involved in basketball and track later this year.

As new members of our school community, Josep and Favour provide interesting insight into the things that make our school so special, one of which is the diversity of the students we encounter.