By Alexis Mitchell, English Teacher, Ladders to Success, FCA
“By doing what you love, you inspire and awaken the hearts of others.”
This is a quote I’ve held with me for many years and one I’ve seen come to life firsthand in the work I do day in and day out, for the past six years working for Family and Children’s Association– let me explain.
Ladders to Success is an education-based program located at the Family and Children’s Association’s Learning Center on Long Island. The program consists of a dedicated team of teachers, Dawn De la Llera, Kayla Flores, and myself, who prepare and advise high school students in Mathematics, Reading, and English, helping them achieve the placement test scores needed to bypass remedial courses. This allows students to access credit-bearing classes at Nassau Community College and beyond.
I’ve been with the agency for six years, and during this time, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the growth and evolution of the Ladders to Success program. What began as a program serving exclusively 12th-grade students from Hempstead High School has since expanded to include high school seniors across Long Island. This expansion has enabled us to reach more students from economically challenging backgrounds and offer them the resources they need to succeed after graduation. In addition to tutoring for the ACCUPLACER exam, the program provides career readiness and vocational planning, FAFSA and financial aid assistance, and more. As educators, we also serve as mentors—ensuring that each student feels supported as they navigate their transition into adulthood. With the flexibility to meet both in-person and virtually, we’re able to adapt to students’ schedules and individual needs.
Through this program, I’ve grown not only as an educator, but as a person. I have immense gratitude for the work I do and for the students I’ve had the chance to meet. Each student comes from a unique cultural background and are inspiring in their own way. Their resilience and drive fuel my own dedication. Over the years, I’ve built lasting relationships with many of the students—relationships that often extend beyond the classroom. For five of my six years at FCA, I was also a student myself. I worked while earning my own degree, and in doing so, I found common ground with the seniors I supported. We have shared stories about our school experiences and bonded over mutual interests like music, television shows, and our individual aspirations. So, while I had the opportunity to prepare the students through instructional sessions in English, reading and writing skills, we have learned more from one another
These connections are at the heart of what we do. While I’ve served as a teacher, the truth is that every student I’ve met has taught me something meaningful about life: consistent work ethic, the love of family, perseverance, and gratitude. Programs like Ladders to Success—and the many others supported by FCA—demonstrate the profound impact of human connection.
I believe that is the beauty of community; it is about the ways in which we hold space for each other.
