A Bright Future

It makes our hearts burst with pride when a young volunteer’s efforts are rewarded.

Last week, it was announced that Sami Atassi (second from the right) had won the prestigious Park Scholarship at NC State University.

According to the Crosby Scholar announcement, “Six years ago, Sami and his family moved to the United States from war-torn Syria with only the bags they could carry on the airplane. He spoke little English when he enrolled as a 6th-grader at Clemmons Middle School, and he took ESL classes for three years. He will graduate this year from Early College with his Associate’s Degree.”

For the past three years, Sami has become a go-to Family House volunteer and a wonderful ambassador for us. He has participated in the Merry Meals potlucks on a regular basis, coordinated monthly dinners with his fellow students from Early College of Forsyth, and donated baked goods for our guests. We are grateful for the many lives he has touched through his work at the Family House, and we are so excited for him as he takes these next steps! You can read more about the award here.

It is clear that Sami is serving out of the goodness of his heart because he knows exactly what it’s like to go through such a difficult time. When his grandmother was sick four years ago with cancer, he helped care for her while she stayed at his home.

We are so proud of Sami and know that his future is bright!