Sinai & Emmanuel's Home Away From Home

Sinai & her son Emmanuel share a hug at her culinary graduation ceremony.

Emmanuel, 3, is a pretty famous kid at Association House. He’s one of the most familiar faces in the building—always smiling, always in motion, waving to staff and participants wherever he goes. Every Halloween, he’s reliably in the running for best dressed.

He’s been part of our community for nearly his whole life. While his mom, Sinai, worked toward her high school diploma just a few floors up, Emmanuel spent his days in a place filled with care, structure, and play—growing up alongside the very people that were helping shape his future.

Sinai's journey with education had a tough start. A high school freshman at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, she felt little motivation to take school seriously while it was entirely virtual: she soon dropped out. Emmanuel came just a few short years later, and Sinai found her priorities had changed overnight-- she wanted to give her son everything he deserved.

"I had no credits at all from school. I was starting from nothing and I was 17. But when I heard about Association House High School it seemed like I could get it done," she shared.

What made the difference was Association House High School's Family Literacy Program (FLP)-- which provided all-day child care for Emmanuel starting from when he was only 6 months old. For Sinai, our high school's flexible schedule, reduced credit requirement, and extended graduation timeline was indispensable-- but she says the people she met in the building made an even greater difference.

"All the teachers really got to know my son, and they understood how important he was. They all call him papi. At a regular school, you'd never get to have your kid around. I'm the type of mom who wouldn't want my kids to be around anyone else but me-- I just trust everyone here," Sinai said.

With the peace of mind that her son was in good hands, she was able to focus on her education and secure her diploma this past June-- but FLP also allowed her to have quality parent-child time during her hectic schedule.

"All of the kids & moms went to a pumpkin patch together, a kids' museum, we'd take the babies on a walk around the neighborhood," she said. "It felt so good to graduate, but honestly, I knew right away I was going to miss it. I can talk to everyone there about anything."

Sinai and Emmanuel (left) with the other families in FLP at Goebbert's Farm and Pumpkin Patch.

After graduation, Sinai wasn't the only one who missed the House. Emmanuel moved on to a new daycare program in the months that followed, but it proved to be a difficult transition. "He told me, 'No, I don't like it here. Take me to my school.' I felt so bad for him because we couldn't go back, so I talked to Ms. Greene, my son's teacher in FLP-- and she told me about the culinary program."

Sinai always had an affinity for cooking, sharing a passion for Puerto Rican & soul food, but the Culinary Career Training program at Association House seemed like an exciting way to take it to the next level. Plus, FLP was available to students of the career training programs too, just like it had been in high school. Emmanuel was thrilled to be back.

Emmanuel was very impressed with his mom during graduation!

For 9 weeks, Sinai learned the ins and outs of new cuisines, kitchen safety, and job search skills for a career in food & hospitality. She credits her outgoing classmates, and the expertise of her instructor, Chef Tenoch Ang, with motivating her throughout the course.

"Honestly, everything we did was my favorite part," she said. "When I was still in the high school, I'd smell what the culinary students were cooking in the hallways and be like, that smells sooo good. I was so excited when I got in there."

Now, after graduating from the culinary program, Sinai's on the hunt for her first job in the industry, and on the hunt for a new daycare for Emmanuel that can compete with his FLP family.

"I'd love to work at a hospital as a chef," she told us, with excitement and confidence in her voice. "Or maybe in a hotel? Whatever picks you, that's what it is. It takes time, but the right thing will come."

In the background of our call, Emmanuel’s laughter carried through the room—as bright and unmistakable as ever. ■

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Learn more about enrolling at Association House High School here, and get details about the Family Literacy Program.