PAIHS Community School

Coalition for Hispanic Family Services at Pan American International High School

Read Pan American International High School's Comprehensive Education Plan 2024-25: CEP

Every Student, Every Day

La escuela comunitaria PAIHS está aquí para apoyar a toda la comunidad escolar y, en el proceso, crear un entorno escolar alegre y centrado para todos los estudiantes, las familias y el personal de la escuela.

The PAIHS Community School is here to support the entire school community, and in the process help create a joyful and focused school environment for students, families and staff.

PAIHS LOVES CULTURE AND CULTURES

INTERNATIONALS NIGHT

On November 25, 2025, we celebrated Internationals Night, an evening to honor our students' talents and cultures. Students presented poetry, dance and music created during the first part of our school year, and a group of professional Mariachi sealed the night with a touch of fun and Mexican culture!

International Night welcomed families and featured Dominican, Venezuelan, Peruvian, Ecuadorian and Latin dances demonstrating he joy of dance at PAIHS!

Venezuela, Present!

For the first time, our Venezuelan students gathered to express their love for their country and culture throgh dance.

Ecuadorian dancers created a fun mixed choreography. This gave an opportunity for all students participating in the Ecuadorian Dance Group to demonstrate their talent and love for their cultural heritage.

Dominican Dancers celebrated their culture through music and dance. They demonstrated the beauty and happiness that Dominican music and dance bring to our wider school cuture.

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SISAY PACHA

Our Ecuadorian Dance Group performed at various events during the first part of the school year, including the Hispanic Heritage Celebration of Queens County, Orgullo Awards Gala, Queens Family Court Hispanic Heritage Celebration and the Legal Aid Society. They will be perfroming in the MWC Youth Dance Platform this year again and in various other events as the year progresses.

Sisay Pacha performed during the Hispanic Heritage Celebration of Queens County, invited by Rep. Catalina Cruz.

Sisay Pacha, our Ecuadorian Dance Group, performed in the Orgullo Awards Gala of the Coalition for Hispanic Family Services, at Virgin Hotel in Manhattan. They enjoyed a restaurant meal and taking photos with the Empire State Building after their performance.

Sisay Pacha was invited for the third consecutive year to participate in the Queens Family Court Hispanic Heritage Celebration. Students learned about the judicial system, and enjoyed a special moment of sharing their culture and roots.

Students learned about Latin American Indigenous music during the Orgullo Indígena Celebration. Professional Andean musicians shared music from Indigenous Latin America and helped students learn about the musical instruments used and their history.

Now creating a new choreography to present during the MWC Youth Dance Platform. Photo: Becca Vision

Masters of Ceremony Annie and Genesis during the Orgullo Indígena Celebration.

To celebrate our Indigenous Roots is to build our whole selves.

A fun photo at the CHFS Gala.

Meal at the Gala

Arriving at the Virgin Hotel

Ready to Perform

At the Legal Aid Society Holiday Event for Families

CREATIVITY IS THE FUTURE

Creativity is crucial for problem-solving, innovation, and adaptability in life and work, driving economic growth, creating new opportunities, and fostering personal fulfillment. It enhances cognitive abilities, boosts mental well-being by reducing stress and increasing engagement, and helps individuals develop unique solutions by fostering non-linear thinking and connecting ideas.

These are the skills that will help our students build a brilliant future for themselves and their families. The PAIHS Community School makes it our mission to create opportunities for our students to develop and practice their creativity and learn about opportunities for learning creative expression and skills.

The Whitney Museum invited our students to participate in Teen Night. They created art and learned how to have free access to the museum in future visits.

Students organized an art exhibition of the artwork created in our Art Studio Lunch Club.

A creative mix of essential oils and color inks to create wellness with an artistic touch!

Art Studio Lunch Club: A time to create freely by exploring art materials and techniques now takes place every day in the school cafeteria!

READY FOR SUCCESS IN THE REAL WORLD!

PAIHS Community School worked in collaboration with the PAIHS ELT Program to coordinate and implement two courses over the Winter Break (December 29th and 30th.) Students acquired skills that prepared them for the world of work and real life!

CPR Course with the Red Cross

PAIHS Students received certification in 3 areas of CPR: Life Threatening Bleeding and Tourniquet Application; Head, Neck, Muscle Bone and Joint Injuries and Splinting; and Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED and Asthma and Quick Relief Medication Administration.

Nail Design Course with Certified Nail Technician

Students received instruction in safety and nail design techniques led by success mentor Mayra Arcentales and her team of success mentors. Each student received a kit to continue practicing their newly acquired skills.

COMMUNITY SCHOOL PILLARS IN ACTION

Extended Learning Time

This year 2025-2026 we are looking forward to bringing fun and educational activities to all students during Extended Learning Time.

We offer Ecuadorian Dance, dance workshops with the Matthew Westerby Company, and other music and art activities that foster collaborations with professional artists .

We are currently also offering a Cheerleading Morning Club and a daily Art Studio Lunch Club.

Dental Wellness

Dental Checkup
2025-2026

We served 200 students this January 13, 14 and 15!

As part of our work, we follow up on referrals provided after the dental clinic, and help families schedule follow up appointments for dental services.

Vision Wellness

Vision Testing Coming Soon
2025-2026

We are currently waiting for an appointment for the current year, but Community Schools has announced appointments will be available soon.

During the school year, we also make appointments and accompany students to help them get eyecare and glasses as they need it.

Family Engagement

We welcomed parents and informed them about school programs and opportunities. We also offered a resume writing workshop and a parent nutrition class.

Community Engagement

Students gave a public music performance in a neighborhood fair near our school. Students also participated in cultural dance events in the summer and during the regular school year.

Classroom Collaboration

Success mentors engage with students in classrooms in order to support learning for those students who need it most. Success mentors continuosly support teachers and students.

WELLNESS: MENTAL HEALTH IS A PRIORITY

The Child Center of New York provides services for our students at different levels: individual therapy, small groups and at a general level for the entire student population. Students can be referred to services with the goal to give attention to all referrals.

Focusing on Internships

NDA PROGRAM, COMMUNITY SERVICE AND ACCESS INTERNSHIPS

PAIHS students participate in arts event during their summer internship experience led by dance artist Corazon Tierra at El Barrio's Art Space, NYC.

In person internships help students explore the world of work, and are essential to their education.

The PAIHS Community School supports our school in providing internship and community service opportunities through a variety of programs throughout the school year.

Students participate in both in-school and outside-of-school internships through partnerships with the Arts and Literacy After School and Summer Programs. We currently also collaborate with the Queens Aids Education Center, the Bushwick Community Partnership, La Casa de la Heren cia Cultural Puertorriqueña, Inc., and local government representative offices.

Our DYCD NDA program provides 73 students with the opportunity to complete 60 hours paid internships. They receive job skills workshops that teach them the skills they will need to succeed in their internships and future jobs.

In the summer, the Career Connect Program provides a paid program for undocumented students.

We also work closely with Commonpoint Queens to support documented students in applying for the SYEP program.

Additionally, we collaborate with local organizations during special events where students can volunteer and receive Community Service Hours.

Students at PAIHS explore the world of work and careers through these and many more opportunities to work and learn.

NDA PROGRAM

Since September 2021, the Coalition for Hispanic Family Services has served Pan American International High School students through mentoring, social emotional learning, tutoring, life skills and job skills through the NDA Program.

Through the NDA Program, we offer internship opportunities, academic enrichment, job skills workshops and family development coaching to participants.

Social Emotional Learning

Students participate in activities that provide opportunities for self-discovery. We observe our environment through different lens: trips, photography, writing, internships and more, while focusing of developing Social Emotional Learning in all students.

Hands-On Learning

Students engage in social-emotional learning through art-making and a variety of activities. We measure their growth through observation and evaluations.

Job Skills and More

Students learn how to write a resume, a cover letter, a professional email, how to dress, how to act in a job, and they also learn about punctuality, responsibility and professionalism in work and life. Many of our students become CHFS employees after they complete internships with the Arts and Literacy Program.

Education for the Whole Family

Family Trips: Making NYC Our City!

Family Trip to El Museo del Barrio: Cultural Day of the Dead

Our PAIHS families gathered on 3/22/25 to take a trip to one of the most popular sites in NYC. Most of the family members had never visited the museum and they brought their children to enjoy this exciting and educational activity. The Community School at PAIHS invites families to join these trips in order to facilitate their discovery of our city as well as to teach them how to access free and low cost cultural resources that can provide their families with fun and educational activities for the whole family.

¡Matriculese para futuros paseos enviando un correo electrónico a Ms. Tanya, directora de la escuela comunitaria ttorres@panamericanihs.org ! ¡Es gratis!

Last year we traveled together to cultural and recreational sites in NYC. We learned together about the resources available to families for free or low cost. All families are welcome to join, as well as individual students, and staff. Sign up today by emailing Ms. Tanya, Community School Director ttorres@panamericanihs.org ! It's free!

See more photos here.

Nutrition Classes for Families

Our parents and guardians will be learning how to eat better and feed their children better starting February 3, 2026. This course offers a certificate and above all the opportunity to improve the health and well-being of PAIHS families.

SUCCESS MENTORS: THE HEART OF OUR PROGRAM

Mayra Arcentales,
Lead Success Mentor and Family Development Coach

Eleyni Garcia Delgado,
Success Mentor

Maria Villamizar,
Success Mentor

Maritza Quinatoa,
Success Mentor

Jeorgina Urena,
Success Mentor

Jesenia Chale,
Success Mentor

Erika Valdez,
Family Liaison

Dacxilia Deras,
Family Development Coach,
NDA Program

Carolyn Bourdier,
Family Development Coach,
NDA Program

Tanya Torres,
Community School Director

FY26 Highlights and Parent Survey Findings

After a successful summer of work programs for both documented and undocumented students, our regular school year started with building a completely new team of success mentors.
We had our dental clinic in January, with 3 days of clinic. A total of 200 students received services that consisted of a dental checkup and a dental cleaning. Our lead success mentor, Mayra Arcentales, led the event and made sure all students who had turned in forms were brought to the clinic.
Our Success Mentors are currently providing attendance mentoring to 78 severely and chronically absent students.
Our Success Mentors also are working closely with 21 students in classrooms to support them with with PBATS completion and missing work for classes.
Our NDA Program team is currently serving 80 students. These students will all have the opportunity to complete paid internships and receive one-on-one academic coaching and tutoring.
We created a list of food pantry and places to eat for families in need.
Our Ecuadorian Dance Group performed 1-2 times per month in different places in Queens and New York City. They represented students in the CHFS Orgullo Awards Gala.
We moved our Art Studio Lunch Club to the Cafeteria to provide a space for all students interested in creating independent art projects or simply relax with the help of art and art materials. This space fosters students who otherwise spend time alone during lunch, creating opportunities for friendship and collaboration.
We went on 1 Family Trip where families celebrated and learn at El Museo del Barrio.
We supported student leadership by providing food for activities and supplies for developing dances and other creations. We had a colorful Internationals Night full of student creativity and beautiful traditional and modern costumes!
The CCNY Mental Health Clinic is currently offering individual services to 31 students, 60% of whom have improved attendance.
In the summer, we supported the Career Connect program, additional dance internships and Arts and Literacy internships that contributed toward helping students achieve their graduation goals of 216 service hours to earn the CDOS seal in their diplomas.
Our success mentors conducted a needs survey with approximately 50 PAIHS families to check in and ask questions about their needs. Some survey findings were:

Parents expressed appreciation for the food received from the school, for the paid internship opportunities for their children and for the support that the school offers families.

- - Additional after school activities. Parents also expressed that they would like to learn more about the activities being offered. They also expressed they would recommend the school to other parents.
  - More English classes for parents-this needs was expressed by most parents who participated in the survey. Learning English is the second greatest need expressed by our families.
  - Food pantry. Food is the greatest need expressed by parents.
  - Many parents have lost jobs due to current immigration situation. Many need immigration services.
  - Nail technician training for parents
  - Internships/Work for students
  - Parents want to be more involved in school (workshops, nail classes)

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