Amaya Marion

CFNA Volunteer of the Month

Once every few months, CFNA features a “Volunteer of the Month.” This month, we thank Amaya Marion.

Born in St. Louis and now 17 years of age, Amaya is completing her senior year at Kirkwood High School. Her favorite subject is Chinese and in particular the Chinese language, of which she seeks to become a fluent speaker. Not surprisingly, she also serves as the president and founder of the Asian Language and Culture Club at Kirkwood High.

Amaya was introduced to CFNA by her friend and CFNA volunteer Eva Ferber a little over a year ago. She began by assisting with ESL and citizenship classes and never looked back. Her CFNA mentor, Kelly Teuscher, describes Amaya as a “quick learner with a warm and engaging personality. CFNA staff and students very much appreciate her positive attitude and servant leadership.”

When asked, “Why does CFNA matter to you?” Amaya is quick to reply that it is a place where people always come first. It is also a place to be engaged in something larger than yourself and to make a difference. Her most meaningful experiences at the Peace Center have always been the relationships she has established and continues to maintain with people from other countries.

Assisting a Student

What’s next? Amaya will be heading to college. Indeed, she was recently accepted by Stanford University and was granted a full scholarship (WOW!). Not surprisingly, she plans to study international relations with a focus on Asian Studies. Her dream is to serve in a multicultural international setting, perhaps in the area of International Law.

To be sure, her friends at CFNA thank her for her service and wish her the very best, along with best wishes to her and her family for a blessed Christmas and New Year.

By Rev. Allan Buckman CFNA Board Chair