This back-to-school season, two members of the IDEA Quest community are stepping into new chapters: one is returning to the classroom, while the other is entering college for the very first time. Their journeys began years apart, but they’re connected by the same campus, the same belief in education, and a gift that came full circle.
Adrienne Piando first arrived at IDEA Quest as a third grader. She remembers visiting a campus that was still growing and crying at the thought of changing schools. Years later, that same campus had become such an important part of her story that, after graduating in 2017 and going on to earn a bachelor’s degree, she found her way back.
Today, she teaches Road to and Through College and AP Psychology classes, walking the same halls that once shaped her, and working alongside some of the educators who once taught her. “Going back to where it all started and giving back to the community that gave so much to me has been very rewarding,” she said. By returning, Adrienne became a part of the same support system that guided her, helping students to chart their path to college and beyond.
One of those students was Lizandra “Lizzy” Vela, who attended IDEA Quest from kindergarten through graduation. When Lizzy entered Adrienne’s class in high school, she was quiet and still discovering where she belonged. Adrienne encouraged her to take chances, connect with others, and grow into leadership at her own pace.
By senior year, Lizzy had become student council vice president and co-leader of another student organization. What began as a teacher helping a reserved student find her voice developed into a relationship that would shape Lizzy’s plans for the future. “If she wasn’t there to give me those opportunities, I don’t think I would be the person I am today,” Lizzy recalled.
Adrienne’s commitment to students also took another form: giving. Soon after joining the IDEA Quest staff, she became a Give Me 5 donor. As both an alumna and an educator, contributing felt like a natural extension of the support she provided in the classroom. She knew her contributions would help another IDEA student continue toward college, even if she never knew which student that might be.
However, at College Signing Day this spring, Adrienne’s roles as teacher, alumna, and donor came together. Sitting in the audience, she watched as Lizzy was announced as a College Signing Day scholarship recipient. As Lizzy walked forward, Adrienne began to cry. “I was just so proud. It reminded me why I donated and why I believe in that part of IDEA,” Adrienne recalled.
For Lizzy, hearing her name felt surreal. “They said my name and I remember thinking, ‘Wait, it’s me!’” she recalled. “It was such a surreal experience.”
This fall, Lizzy will begin college at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, where she plans to pursue her own calling in education. After years of forming meaningful bonds with her teachers, she wants to create that same sense of belonging for young students, especially those who may be quiet or hesitant to speak up, like she once was.
As Adrienne begins another school year at the campus where her story took shape, Lizzy is beginning college with a vision for the teacher she hopes to become. Together, their journeys show that supporting students to and through college is not a single moment; it’s a ripple that grows each time an educator believes in a student, a graduate returns to serve, or a team member chooses to give.
One day, Lizzy hopes to become the teacher a young student will remember; the kind of teacher Adrienne has been for her.
