bonding activity that had students respond to get-toknow-you questions while out of their seats— a contrast to their usual schooling model of always sitting on their benches. Afterward, I asked students what they thought of the first meeting. An eighth grader named Aayasha, whom I’ d only met once or twice before, looked straight at me with glowing eyes.“ Ma’ am, you’ re amazing! You’ re so confident,” she said.
Her comment stunned me. After my carefully-crafted, engaging lesson about school news, what left the greatest impression on this student was the character of her teacher. While I had been so worried about“ helping” children academically, this student was inspired by my self-assured demeanor. During the bumpy school bus ride home that afternoon, I wondered why she had said this to me.
When I met Sara years earlier, I saw myself in her: a woman of color who too often had been told what to do. She had quit her career as an engineer before pursuing mountaineering. Meeting this competent young woman of authority, this leader, to whom I could directly relate made me think,“ I can be like that, too.” She helped me find the courage to teach when everyone around me seemed to be telling me not to.
It can be difficult to measure impact as a teacher. But Aayasha showed me that I was impacting students simply by showing up as myself and teaching in a way that felt authentic to me. While I can’ t be sure my students will recall how to use the past perfect tense, I take solace in the wisdom of American puppeteer Jim Henson, who said,“[ Kids ] don ' t remember what you try to teach them. They remember what you are.”
On my last, tearful day of teaching in Nepal, I watched Aayasha win multiple student awards at a school assembly. She later handed me a letter, which said,“ Even though we know each other for only some months … just know that I can NEVER forget you.”
And I will never forget them..
Note: The Central Asia Institute does not work in Nepal.
Claire Mei Chevallier is an English Language Arts teacher, writer, outdoors enthusiast, and CAI donor from Northern California. She is an alum of the Fulbright Nepal ETA program( 2024-25) and can be reached at claire6chevallier @ gmail. com.
HOW TO LEAVE A LASTING IMPACT: CAI ' S LEGACY SOCIETY
By Marianne Monoc
We all strive to find purpose and meaning in our lives. One impactful way is through supporting charitable causes, which can help create lasting positive change in our communities and even the world. For many individuals, including nonprofits in their legacy plans is a natural extension of their lifelong commitment to giving.
Legacy giving goes beyond making a difference today— it’ s about ensuring that your values and dedication to helping others live on for generations to come. It allows you to consider not only how you can make an impact now, but also how you can create change for the future.
Helping to ensure the sustainability of CAI with an estate gift demonstrates your strong belief in the power of education. Your support for our mission will serve as an inspiration to others, enriching the communities we serve for many years to come.
Legacy giving is one of the most meaningful ways to show your commitment to the long-term success and growth of our organization. It also offers many financial advantages, including potential federal estate tax savings, the elimination or reduction of capital gains taxes, and the opportunity to increase spendable income.
Estate gifts can come in a multitude of forms, including the following:
• A bequest through a will or trust
• Gifts of real estate or property
• Gifts of stock
• Life insurance policies
• Residual donor-advised funds
We welcome the opportunity to discuss how your estate gift can play a transformational role in CAI’ s mission and perpetuate your personal values beyond your lifetime. If you have already included CAI in your estate plans, please let us know so we can thank you and officially welcome you as a cherished member of the CAI Legacy Society.
For more information, please visit our website or contact Alice Thomas, Executive Director at athomas @ centralasiainstitute. org
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