Success Stories - Kris

Kris is a 6th grader who began participating in Impact NW’s Schools Uniting Neighborhoods (SUN) program at Rigler Elementary School two years ago because he needed help with his homework. He’s a very imaginative guy and often has trouble staying on track during the school day in his classes.

Kris began taking Aikido this fall through the SUN program and really excelled at it. He enjoyed it so much that he decided to volunteer as an assistant in the Aikido classes during spring quarter. He also joined the SUN Leadership Council in the fall where he had the opportunity to meet and greet the candidates for county commissioner in our district and help make decisions about what SUN classes would be offered in the winter.

SUN has helped him channel his energy in a positive way and helped him realize his leadership potential. He has gone from playing pranks on other students in the fall to serving as a student leader who picks up first and second graders from their classrooms and delivers them to SUN every day this winter.

Kris is one of the 24,000 students, parents, and community members served by Impact NW’s SUN program each year. If you would like to support Kris and thousands of other individuals and families throughout Multnomah County who benefit from Impact NW’s work, please click here to make a charitable contribution.