Mariam Naraine, M.S., B.A.
mnaraine@harlemchildrensociety.org
It seems like teaching is in Mariam Naraine’s blood. Both her parents and siblings are educators. When asked, who her greatest influences are, she will respond undoubtedly – her family – “I can clearly remember, my parents dragging my sister, brother and I out of bed in the middle of the night to see lunar eclipse. I was about 7 years old and I thought they were crazy! Looking back now, I know this is what sparked my interest in science. I was so fascinated by this. I remember lying in the grass looking up at the sky wondering about how big it is, and what lives out there. I still do this” – It is this passion in her lifeline that excites her about Harlem Children Society (HCS).
After graduating from Queens College, CUNY, Mariam began teaching at Richmond Hill Public High School. This was not her first choice. Mariam’s goal was to enter the Peace Corp. During the waiting process, her mother suggested teaching. She started teaching the day after graduation, and fell in love. Here she found a certain sense of fulfillment exposing students to science and science research. Among her many accomplishments at Richmond Hill High School is creating the science research club and a chess club. Another big part of her, Richmond Hill life was the volunteer club. This club had over 60 members and work included volunteering at soup kitchens, raising money for 9/11 victims, breast cancer research and even adopting a whale!
Six years later, a new school was opening up. This school focus was
“Science”. So she made the jump. Manhattan/Hunter Science High school opened a whole new world for Mariam. Being at the ground level of a new school is exciting. One must fill a number of different roles. For Mariam, this included being an advisor and the Science Coordinator.
It is in this role that she came across Dr. Sat and Harlem Children Society. Dr. Sat visited the school to recruit students. And it was during these visits that she learned about the work that was being done at HCS and was very impressed. Over the next three years, HCS continued to accept students from Manhattan/Hunter Science High School and the relationship between Mariam and HCS grew. During the fall of 2006, she attended the Sigma Xi Scientific Research Conference in Detroit along with HCS students. Mariam was so impressed that she decided that working at HCS is the direction her career should be going.
So after 10 years as NYC public High School teacher, Mariam made the switch to Harlem Children Society as the Education Coordinator. Her role in this capacity includes participating in developing a program for the benefit of humankind. The program obviously focuses in science and science education and developing these concepts to change the world and perhaps make the world a better place for all.
Since the summer of 2007, in active participation with HCS, Mariam has played an important role in transforming lives – for the better.
Among her passionate programs – are the after school program, and a program to give back to our society directly. She implemented a program of volunteer HCS dreamers to give back ……to provide meals in a soup kitchen during Thanksgiving 2007. Scores of HCS students took on her drive and strove to help on a day – that really should be a “thanksgiving for all”! This is one of the teachings that HCS likes to create and imbibe in our students – “our social responsibility”! And caring for others in need.
In addition to HCS, Mariam is also on the Board of the Women in Science. This organization seeks ways to promote advance science to young women across the country. She is also an active volunteer member of the American Red Cross.
Harlem Children Society incorporates several things Mariam is passionate about - preparing and exposing students who traditional are underserved for higher education specifically in science research, while at the same time instilling the idea giving back.
Today, Mariam is happy doing something that seems so natural to her. Her approach to education is dictated by the following two quotes, “No one has yet realized to wealthy of sympathy, the kindness and the generosity hidden in the soul of a child. The effort of every true educator should be to unlock that treasure” by Emma Goldman and William Butler Yeats, “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” Mariam is happy to be a part of an organization that meets her education philosophy so completely.
Harlem Children Society takes a great pride in having her in our team of idealists - of dreamers and achievers! And yet very realistic in inculcating a change in our wonderful world of amazing people, nature and environs – through science and education, and inculcating change for the better of humanity.
We are indeed going to make this world as better place!