The YES program proudly announces Iram Khan from India as Student of the Month. She was placed in Anchorage, Alaska and she attends East High School.

Since arriving in Alaska, Iram has embraced the mission of the YES program by sharing her culture and stories about her home country and serving the community. She has excelled in connecting with peers, demonstrating leadership and generosity.

Iram has completed over 90 hours of volunteer service in her host community. She helped organize a fundraising event for the School-Within-A-School program, raising $300 for supplies. Iram is proud of her weekly volunteer work at the Alaska Food Bank in Anchorage, where she sorts, shelves, and boxes food for distribution. She visits her neighbor’s chicken yard daily, ensuring the chickens are well-fed and watered.

Iram has fully immersed herself in the US high school experience. She presented an ASL interpretation of the National Anthem at a pep rally. During International Exchange Week, she gave 11 presentations about her country and taught her classmates the Indian dance Garba, part of the Navratri festival.

Iram initiated an International Exchange Forum Club at her school that aims to foster cultural exchange and mutual understanding. She participated in a debate tournament, ranking first in one round. Iram has also performed at the Arctic Entries annual storytelling event, where she shared her amazing experiences in Alaska, including hiking on a glacier, seeing the Northern Lights, and adapting to a vastly different climate.

Reflecting on her experiences, Iram said, “The YES Program has truly changed the way I see people from different backgrounds. Being immersed in a culture that’s different from my own has really opened my eyes to what it means to see the ‘other.’ To me, the idea of being ‘other’ doesn’t really exist. We’re all unique creations, and in the end, we’re all part of the same family. After living here for over five months, I’ve come to realize that despite the variety in our traditions, languages, and lifestyles, we share deep-rooted values like kindness, love, and curiosity.”

Congratulations, Iram!