Viviane Darwish
Since its inception, PROPEL has been at the forefront of empowering women to engage in meaningful and well-paying careers, allowing them to balance home and family responsibilities and to contribute to their household income in a meaningful way. As more women became interested in pursuing careers that require higher education – bachelors and master’s degrees – PROPEL seized the opportunity to create a new initiative, PropelED. PropelED is a new component of the services offered by PROPEL, specifically designed to support women pursuing careers that require advanced degrees.
Lendy Sardar Hanono was one of the first PROPEL clients to access PropelED’s services. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in Speech and Psychology, she decided to follow her heart to teaching in the classroom. Lendy was working as an Associate Teacher in Magen David Yeshivah, and wanted to leverage her passion and skills to pursue her specialized teacher’s certification and to further her career in education. With PropelED’s guidance and support, Lendy will be graduating from Touro College Graduate School of Education in June 2021, earning both her master’s degree in Jewish Special Education and her New York State certification as a Teacher of Children with Disabilities, Grades 1-6. A proud wife and mother of two (Jacob and baby Frieda, who was born during final exams), Lendy has worked diligently to actualize her dream, while continuing to fulfill her home and family responsibilities. Let’s listen in on a conversation with this rising star.
What inspired you to pursue a career in education?
As a child growing up, I always enjoyed the opportunities that the teacher gave me to present and perform in front of the classroom. I was always first to raise my hand when the teachers asked for assistance for the various classroom tasks. All these little experiences gave me a new perspective on the classroom from the teacher’s side. That sensation felt so comfortable to me and I knew that was where I wanted to be in the future. As I got older, I was inspired by my teachers, looking up to them and their important role in educating me and building a relationship with me. I knew that one day I would want the opportunity to offer the same to my students and encourage them in a way that I was motivated by my teachers.
How did PropelED guide and help you pursue a career in education?
At the recommendation of a family member, I reached out to PROPEL to see what resources were available to me. With the help of Ellen Ades, I was guided towards the new Jewish Education program at Touro. Along with the constant support and guidance from Gitta Neufeld, I was able to focus on the career path that I was going to pursue and then lined up the steps and stages I needed in order to achieve my goals.
What advice would you give women seeking a career in education?
Go for it! Don’t think twice!
It is a way to give back to the community and help raise our future leaders. Knowing that I can partake in that even in the slightest way is gratifying. I think a career in education is important because you are not only teaching students physically, but you are also helping them to hone their social skills. School is a place to develop mentally, spiritually, and physically. Being able to teach students all three of those aspects is very important in guiding them to lead a healthy lifestyle and growing up to become successful people. It’s a doubly rewarding experience, in that you can work and adjust teaching to your own schedule while also advancing your level of experiences both at home and in school.
How do you balance your family and school life?
My family is my greatest support team. They encourage me daily. They make the unimaginable very manageable. Our schedules always seem so full, but with patience and routines all things fall into place. Once the balancing act is figured out, you won’t be able to imagine your life without a career! When it does get hectic, I find that slowing down for a minute and taking note of everything I need to get done helps me. They say, “When you choose a job that you love, you’ll never have to work a day in your life.”
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If you are interested in a career, please reach out to PROPEL and we can help you fulfill your professional goals. Call PROPEL at 646-494-0822 or email info@thepropelnetwork.org. Please follow PROPEL on Instagram @propelnetwork.