On an ordinary afternoon after the final bell, Nina Fataki and Fatima Doumbia find themselves in a place that feels different from the rest of the school day. VOICE is not a classroom in the traditional sense, and it isn't simply a place to pass the time. It is somewhere in between—a space where homework gets done, friendships form, questions are asked, and confidence quietly grows.

Nina is an eighth grader. Fatoumata is in seventh grade. Their paths to this moment look very different, but here, sitting side by side, those differences matter less than what they share. VOICE is an after-school program where students can work, read, talk, and feel supported. For Nina, it's where Miss Hoover helps with homework when she needs it. For Fatoumata, it's a place to spend time with friends and feel safe.

When Nina talks about school, her enthusiasm is immediate. She loves everything about it—making friends, learning new things, and preparing for the future. Education, she explains, is essential. Without it, life becomes harder. You need to know how to read and write. You need to be prepared when opportunities come.

Nina moved to the United States from Congo, spending about a year in Kalamazoo, Michigan, before arriving in Monmouth in 2024. Along the way, she has learned to navigate new systems and new languages. She speaks French fluently and also speaks Lingala. When asked to demonstrate her French, she initially resists—how people gonna understand?—but then bridges languages as naturally as she bridges cultures. She is teaching Fatoumata French, patient and persistent in sharing what she knows.

That adaptability shows in the classroom. Nina enjoys English class, where she reads stories, writes, and practices speaking in front of others—even though it makes her nervous. Standing up and talking in front of people is hard, she admits, but she does it anyway. Growth requires discomfort, and trying matters more than avoiding fear.

Fatoumata’s interests look different, but her curiosity is just as strong. She enjoys Advisory—especially because, she says with a smile, they sometimes have candy. She loves animal books, particularly the Who Would Win? series, where different animals are imagined in head-to-head matchups. Pictures matter to her.

Outside of school, Fatoumata enjoys playing Roblox, especially Creatures of Sonoria, and has a deep fascination with animals and dinosaurs. She explains that dinosaurs didn't roar the way movies suggest, because reptiles don't roar. They hiss. It's the kind of detail that reveals careful observation and genuine interest.

When asked what they might want to do in the future, their answers come easily. Nina imagines becoming a lawyer, or maybe a teacher, or even a dentist. She is open to possibilities. Fatoumata imagines working at McDonald's, serving people, or discovering dinosaur fossils someday. Both answers are honest and unconcerned with sounding impressive.

What unites them is how they use VOICE. Nina uses the time to study, complete her work, and make friends. Fatoumata uses it to spend time with others and stay engaged. Neither sees the program as just an obligation. It is something they choose.

When the conversation turns to bravery, both hesitate. Nina eventually says she is brave in everything, though she struggles to explain why. Fatoumata insists she isn't brave at all, admitting she's afraid of spiders—especially the jumping kind they have back home. But bravery isn't about fearlessness. It's about showing up anyway. Both girls do that every day.

Nina speaks about encouraging people to try things, even when they're unsure. Her philosophy is direct: “If you don't try, you will miss out on so much. People have to try things.” Fatoumata imagines making her mark by discovering fossils—learning something new and sharing it with the world.

When asked how she describes Monmouth to friends in Kalamazoo or Congo, Nina answers simply. It's good to live here. People are nice. They support you. They want you here. That sense of welcome matters, especially for students still finding their footing. Nina might move to Utah or Arizona next, but for now, this is home.

In VOICE, Nina and Fatoumata are doing more than finishing homework. They are learning how to belong, how to speak up, and how to imagine a future that is still unfolding. They are finding their voices—together.