Alijah, Grade 12
When Alijah first arrived at Falk School (Falk) in 2018, he was a very quiet student who struggled to connect with others. He didn’t have many friends and was hesitant to socialize. At the time, he wasn’t living at home and was navigating several behavioral challenges.
Over the years, Alijah’s perspective began to change and he started reflecting on what he wanted for his future.
“There were so many things I wanted to accomplish in life and realized I needed to change,” Alijah stated.
By his freshman year of high school, Alijah developed a greater appreciation for school, improved his behavior and opened up to people. He credits Ms. Daniels and Mr. Lewis for this transformation.
“Falk has made me a better person,” Alijah said. “It’s given me a compass on how I should look and approach things in life. The staff taught me how I can make bad days better and they’re like family to me.”
For Alijah, that support has extended beyond the classroom. One of his proudest memories at Falk was completing a project with his classmates at The Foundry for Grassroots Gardens WNY. The experience resulted in Alijah being interviewed on the news and being featured in the newspaper.
“Words can’t even describe how grateful I am for all the opportunities Falk has given to me,” Alijah emphasized. “Being on the news and being recognized for something good is a moment I’ll never forget.”
Today, Alijah is looking toward a future centered on helping others. After graduating high school, he hopes to attend college to study social work and eventually work at Falk so he can provide the same guidance and encouragement he received throughout his educational career.
“I just want to help kids like me who didn’t have direction and faced similar struggles growing up,” Alijah said.
His advice to current and future Falk students is simple: show up, make friends and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Alijah’s story is a powerful example of the impact that can happen over time. What began as a quiet student struggling to find his place has become a young person with confidence, purpose and a desire to help others. As Falk School celebrates 40 years, stories like Alijah’s remind us that a school's impact can extend beyond the classroom and help shape the direction of a student’s future.