Thursday's Child: Student Stories
Winner '30, Bright and Brave
Family is at the core of the Girard College experience, where our students live and learn in a community united by love. It’s often the first word our graduates say when asked what makes Girard special.
5th grade student Winner knows more than most that families come in all different forms. For the past three years, she’s lived with a loving foster family following the passing of her brother Daniel, a rising soccer star whose life was tragically cut short by cancer. He had been caring for Winner following the passing of their mother, Sarah, who had brought the siblings to Philadelphia from Liberia in search of educational opportunity. It was Daniel who initially sought to enroll Winner at Girard, fulfilling his promise to their mother.
Winner loves playing the trombone, math games on the computer, and eating chicken alfredo. She’s also a budding artist – “Colored pencils are my favorite,” she says. “I like that I get to draw my imagination.”
Sometimes, when Winner is having a tough day and needs a break, she goes to see Mrs. Thomas, the elementary school social worker, to talk about her feelings. She’ll draw on the white board or play with some fidgets until she’s ready to go back to class.
Winner says she loves being at Girard because she “has so many people who care about me.”
Mrs. Thomas is a member of Girard’s Student Achievement Team, and works closely with teachers, residential advisors, academic counselors and behavioral specialists to meet the social and emotional needs of students.
“When I first met Winner, she was so positive and full of light,” Thomas says. “She was a little nervous because I was new, but we clicked right away. She always says hi to me and is very respectful of her teachers. Even when she’s upset about something, she handles it so well. She’s just an amazing student overall.”
Now three years since his passing, Winner speaks about her brother Daniel with pride, remembering that he trained with the Philadelphia Union and played for Team Liberia in the PHL Unity Cup. She hopes to follow in his footsteps and play on Girard’s middle school soccer team next year.
When asked to describe herself, Winner says, “I am brave kind, and love my family.”
At Girard College, students create bonds for life, surrounded by caring, compassionate individuals. Winner is thriving in this supportive environment, secure in knowing that she is part of the Girard family.
Strengthen the Girard Family
Your gift strengthens the sense of family students like Winner experience in our living, learning community. With teachers, RAs, and counseling professionals working in tandem to identify and remove barriers to learning, Winner can achieve anything she puts her mind to. Your gift ensures that her support system stays strong.