Meet Ms. Wendi
Meet Wendi: The Cheez-It Loving, Anime Convention-Going EEYP Coordinator!
Behind the scenes at the Expose Excellence Youth Program (EEYP), you'll find Wendi Palomera, one of the amazing coordinators helping young people shine. Wendi was inspired to work with youth by her awesome teachers and mentors growing up and found that working with young people has been the most rewarding field she's experienced. She was excited to help build EEYP and create something that can positively impact young lives in the county she grew up in.
So, what does a typical week look like for Wendi? It sounds like a whirlwind of positive energy! During the school year, the EEYP team is in 3 schools, Tuesday-Thursday, in the Leadership Program. Mondays and Fridays are just as busy, filled with planning events, attending outreach events, trainings, networking with community organizations and promoting upcoming events. And summer? Packed with activities like the Youth Law Enforcement Academy and Freedom Tour.
Wendi brings a wealth of experience to her role. Her time as an AVID tutor taught her how to connect with young people and adjust her communication style. Working for the Victim Assistance Program also instilled the importance of being understanding and kind to everyone. These public service experiences prepared her for her work with EEYP.
What does Wendi find most rewarding? Seeing the change in the students. She gets excited when EEYP students are accepted into the college of their dreams and seeing them succeed. She also loves seeing them apply what they learned in the leadership program in their lives. A particular favorite is the networking session, where students learn the importance of building connections in real time. Speaking of favorites, Wendi especially enjoys the Youth Law Enforcement Academy, noting that students get hands-on experience and parents say their kids are still talking about it months later. She's seen students apply skills like professionalism, improving their email writing and interview skills to get recommendation letters and jobs. Wendi believes youth play a huge role in shaping the future of Fort Bend County as they will become the future teachers, lawyers, police officers, you name it. It's vital to show them the impact of their choices and provide necessary life skills.
If Wendi could have a superpower to help the youth she works with, she'd choose Teleportation. Why? Because sometimes youth lack reliable transportation, and this would solve that challenge and even help with field trips. If she were a snack at an EEYP event, she'd be Cheez Its because “There are no surprises with me, just good ole reliable cheese".
And for a fun surprise? Outside of EEYP, Wendi is a huge anime enthusiast and attends anime conventions all around Texas. She is currently watching Kaiju No. 8. Wendi's dedication, experience, and playful spirit clearly make her a valuable part of the EEYP team!
