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Dedunu Suraweera » Ms. Dedunu

Ms. Dedunu

SAYA office
Welcome! My name is Ms. Dedunu, and I work as the Community School Director with SAYA (South Asian Youth Action)
A little bit about myself...
 
I love theatre, sci-fi-, cheese fries, and travel! I received my BA in Psychology from Stony Brook University, and my Masters in Social Work from Columbia University. I was born & raised in Staten Island, NY. My family is from Sri Lanka, and I speak the language Sinhalese. I care deeply about community and worldly issues, and I love our school community!
 
I am here to support you in whatever way we can!
E-mail [email protected] or [email protected]. 
 
About SAYA and our work at RHHS as a "Community School"
 
SAYA works with all different communities, regardless of our title :) We are a community-based organization that works with several schools across Queens and Brooklyn, RHHS being one of them :)  We are part of something called the "Community School" initiative, which helps us offer programs and supports such as:
 
  • After-school clubs;
  • College, Career & overall Postsecondary (life after high-school) support;
  • Success mentorship (connecting students with a mentor); 
  • Paid Internships;
  • Connecting families with wellness & important community resources, such as emergency financial assistance, immigration legal support, housing support, and more! 
 
Community Schools sign
 
 
My role is to help make sure our programs are running and growing along the way, and helping develop spaces that support the changing needs of our school. In these challenging times, we continue to support our families virtually! Don't hesitate to reach out! [email protected]
 
 
There are so many ways to stay connected with SAYA! 
 
Want to join a club? Check out our flyer below, and scan the code to register!
https://www.richmondhillhs.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1978608&type=d&pREC_ID=2103335 
Joining a club means you will get a FREE fun club kit in the mail!!! 
 
Interested in learning more about clubs and our other programs? Visit our page!
https://sites.google.com/saya.org/sayaenrichment/home?authuser=0
 
Looking to connect with our college and postsecondary team?
Follow our college team on Instagram! @collegehelpRHHS
 
Curious to know more about SAYA as an organization? 
Visit www.saya.org 
 
Thinking about connecting with our Wellness Center?
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSenexfZgDEmviUY3cIGkXa5pa99lbIXAqUnL4Fo310GVAUKtw/viewform?gxids=7757
 
You can also connect with more Wellness resources at:
https://sites.google.com/saya.org/wellnessteam/home