When seven-year-old Julie Sichei walks into a room, it’s as if the space softens a little. Her voice is gentle, her smile is easy, and the kindness she carries with her seems to settle naturally into every interaction. She brings a steady warmth and thoughtfulness beyond her years to Unity Point’s multiage classroom.

Julie was born in Kenya, where both of her parents grew up. She lived there until just under a year ago, when she and her mother moved to southern Illinois. With that move came new routines, a new school, new friends, and an entirely new country to understand. She entered Unity Point at the start of her first year in the United States, joining the multi-age classroom for first- and second-graders. This year marks her second year in the program, and she has flourished in an environment where students learn from one another and progress at the pace that fits them best.

Even though she is still learning English, Julie already speaks beautifully. Her first language is Swahili, and she smiles shyly when asked to share a word, offering “msichana” for “girl.” She remembers her home country clearly and talks lovingly about her cousins and her father, who still lives in Kenya. She and her dad talk often, and she likes to show him her toys or tell him about school so he feels close, even from far away. Julie says he promised her a surprise when he returns, and she holds onto that promise with excitement and trust.

Julie’s mother is a former teacher in Kenya and is currently a student in the United States, which means learning has always been a central part of their home. The value of education runs through the family, and it’s no surprise that Julie hopes to become a teacher someday, too. She talks about the idea sweetly, as if she already knows how to care for young learners the way her mother once cared for hers.

This year, Julie is in Ms. Laramore’s class, and she speaks fondly of her teacher’s patience and kindness. Julie knows her colors, her alphabet, and her basic math facts with ease. She is beginning to read simple books and proudly names math as her favorite subject. She likes working with numbers, even if she isn’t always sure how to describe why. She simply knows that it makes her feel confident.

Though reserved at first glance, Julie opens up quickly when she talks about her friends. Her best friend is Ella, another seven-year-old who shares Julie’s love of play. The two spend recess together nearly every day. When Julie describes their favorite games, her quiet voice turns lively. Freeze tag is at the top of the list, especially the version where teammates “unfreeze” each other. She also loves imaginative play, like the day she and her classmates pretended to be a family with assigned roles—the dad, the mom, two babies, a brother, and Julie as the sister. She slips easily into imagination, creating stories and friendships with the same gentle creativity she brings to the classroom.

Kindness sits at the heart of who she is. When asked about a time she helped someone, she didn’t tell a dramatic story. Instead, she said something simple and sincere: “If they fall at recess, I help them get up.” She doesn’t hesitate when someone needs help, and she doesn’t wait to be asked. She notices, she acts, and she makes the moment better. That instinct is part of what makes her so loved at school.

Julie enjoys lunchtime, sometimes buying her food and sometimes bringing it from home. Ramen noodles are her absolute favorite. At home, she watches PBS Kids, doesn’t have pets, and enjoys quiet time with her mother.

Despite living in the United States for less than a year, Julie already feels at home at school. When asked what she wants people to know about Unity Point, her answer was simple: “People are nice.” It is the kind of statement that sounds small but carries weight. Nice matters. Warmth matters. Feeling welcomed matters. And for Julie, those qualities have made all the difference.

Whether she is reading, playing freeze tag, sharing stories with her dad across continents, or helping a classmate who has taken a tumble on the playground, Julie approaches life with a gentle strength. And as she continues to grow, learn, and settle into her new home, she’ll carry that same bright, steady light into every room she enters.