While at Lehman, Isaac was chosen, in his sophomore year, to be a McNair Scholar. Take a minute to read about the McNair program below. It’s a great honor to be chosen to be a McNair Scholar (only 20 are selected per year), and being a McNair opens the door to many opportunities. For example, Isaac is now working on research with a mentor on sneaker cushions. His goal is "to design an effective sneaker cushion using psychological properties of resilience as a theoretical construct." Don’t ask me what it means–I’m just quoting Isaac! I guess that’s just one of the things we all love about Isaac. Is there anybody but Isaac who would think to combine sneakers and psychology in a college classroom?

–Ms. Tringali

Isaac: I became a McNair Scholar in sophomore year of college.

Ms. T: Was it hard to get picked to be a McNair?

Isaac: Really hard. There are only 20 McNair scholars picked at a time. You have to have good grades in college, at least a B+. It also takes a lot of discipline.

Ms. T. What do you get out of being a McNair?

Isaac: You get a lot. First, you get your own academic advisor, who helps you stay on track in college. You also get help with finding scholarships for graduate school. There is also money for activities outside of college, because the program wants to make sure you are exposed to many cultural things. You also get a mentor and learn to do research, which you need to learn to do for graduate school.

Ms. T: With all that hard work, it sounds like the Program should pay you!

Ms. T: So how do students become McNair Scholars?

Isaac: Well, they have to work hard and get good grades in high school. That’s the most important. After that, the student must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States. Also, the student must be a low-income, first-generation college student or a member of a group that is under-represented in graduate education.

Ms. T: Is it ever too early to think about college and beyond?

I thought of this Bible verse because there is always that one student who needs someone to laugh or cry to. There is always that one student who needs to share something but has nowhere to turn.

I must admit something here and now. I have a confession to make! I use art as an excuse to work at the Summer Bridge Program. But I have a little secret to share, shhhhhhhhh, don’t let anyone know, but it’s not about the art. It used to be, but it’s not anymore. It’s about something much deeper than that. And although many of my students might not know what my real reason for being an intern at the Summer Program is, it will be made clear right now.

Over the years students have shared many things with me. They have asked me for advice and to help them with certain situations. Some of the situations have been brutal, ranging from rape to cutting themselves because it’s "the only way to relieve the pain." Some students have even attempted suicide, which was so scary that I would have to run over to the school first thing and speak with the social worker about some type of intervention.

"I can’t do it." "I have no purpose in life." "I don’t deserve to be alive." "No one loves me or understands me." I have heard this from many and asked myself why they shared their feelings with me. I would search for the answer but could not find it for a while because I took my job at the Summer Program for granted. I used to think that I was just making kids laugh by telling corny jokes! I thought I had no real significance.

HOW WRONG I WAS! I found this out when one of my students made a point to tell me how important I was. It was then that I realized how much power we have as human beings to do something constructive and good with our lives. Somewhere down the road the same students who hated life and wanted to die because life had not been kind to them turned into the students who now call me "Poppa!" These are the same students who now try to find a positive, constructive way to solve their problems. Instead of wanting to die or cutting themselves, they turn to art or poetry or music or to helping others. The thing that has even brought me to tears (yes, I cry sometimes), is that some of these students credit their change of attitude to something that I did or said, or just because I listened and did not judge.

Sooner or later the students get it. Sooner or later some of the students dare to dream and they dream big. They let go of their baggage and soar into the sky! I have faith in every single one of my students. I have faith that they can overcome any obstacle. Sometimes happiness must be fought for, but it’s worth the fight. Despite all of the crazy things that happen in this world, I am brave enough to believe that if we search hard enough, beauty can be found. Life is beautiful!

The animal I enjoyed the most at the Aquarium was the beluga whale. It was so pretty–fat and cute. It didn’t look scary. The animal that I disliked was the shark. I dislike sharks because they can kill and eat humans. The difference between the bony fish that we dissected in class and the shark was that the shark’s brain had bone in it and the fish’s brain didn’t. Another difference between the fish and shark is that the shark has those dangerous teeth...!