Bobcats Empowering and Educating Refugee Communities through 1 Must

Julianna Miracco, Staff Reporter|Jan 4, 2022

Senior Mia Haskins plays on the swings with Aisha (9) after a successful tutoring session. Haskins began tutoring recently for 1 Must. (Photo courtesy of Sofia Miracco)

Refugees come to the US in hopes of living a new life with access to essential resources. However, there are apparent challenges while coming to a foreign land as it can be difficult to adjust and thrive in. 

1 Must is a student-run organization that provides underprivileged refugee children with a better education and more opportunities. This non-profit group teaches these children academic material and develops their social and mental skills while living in unknown surroundings. 

“During the pandemic, we realized how fortunate we were to have space and internet access but we thought about our young refugee friends in City Heights,” the organization said. “We mobilized and organized volunteers and took action.”

To connect the organization to Sage Creek, senior Sofia Miracco has created a club for 1 Must, aiming to meet the organization’s motto: educate, engage, empower.

“I wanted to help get more students involved in the program,” Miracco said. “I want to give these kids a chance to excel in life, empower them to pursue their dreams, and make them feel cared for.”

Every Saturday, a large group of students drive down to Oak Park in San Diego to tutor the kids. They bring water, snacks and games for the kids while they are mentored for a couple of hours. 

Senior Emily Nelson practices fractions with a young fourth grader. Nelson is one of many volunteers who participate every Saturday. (Photo by Julianna Miracco)

“In preparation for Saturday, we assign our tutors with a group of kids, considering each person’s personality and grade level,” Vice President Tiffany Lin said. “Throughout the week, we spend hours to ensure that each weekend provides an educational yet fun experience to both the kids and tutors.”

Rylie Mclaren, a senior at Sage Creek, started volunteering for 1 Must at the beginning of October 2021. 

“I love watching how the kids grow to be more and more comfortable with the tutors throughout the day,” Mclaren said. “It is also incredibly rewarding to see the impact we have on them, I love seeing them excited to be there each weekend.”

 As the volunteers finish tutoring and playing with the kids, they always strive to divulge 1 Must’s objective.

“We believe with education, mentorship, and engagement, we could empower our young refugee friends through academic engagement and mentorship to be the light in their community,” the organization said.