Name:   Vanessa Frechette

Education: BA in Intercultural Studies from Hope International University

Hometown: Phoenix, AZ

Family: Parents - Bob & Bonnie; 2 older sisters and brothers-in-law - Kristen & Justin, Lindsey & Tim; 2 nephews- Alex & Logan

Hobbies: hanging out with friends, dance, traveling, playing with kids

Job Title: After School Program Director

How did you come to Solidarity? A couple years ago two friends, Bethany and Megan, invited me to come check out this cool organization that they were volunteering with.  I started helping out with the After School Program and haven't left since.

What is your role at Solidarity? I run the After School Program so I do the planning for the program, work with the volunteer staff, help kids with their homework, and basically hang out with some of my favorite kids everyday.  I also help out with other activities around Solidarity such as the Youth Church and Lifestyle training.

What is the best part of your role? I get to spend a lot of time with some of the coolest kids I've ever met.  I love being a part of their lives and living out my faith as I walk along with them.

What is your favorite movie? I don't really have one favorite, but one of the top ones is Dirty Dancing.

What reality TV show would you be on and why? Amazing Race - I love to travel and I want to go everywhere.  Although, I know if I did that, I would have to go back to all those countries again so I could actually spend some time and experience the culture.

Favorite place you have been and why?  Colombia - I spent 4 months there and built great relationships with some amazing people.

Where is the next place you would like to go? I want to go to Costa Rica because I love Latin America and it looks really pretty in pictures.  I also want to go back to Colombia to visit my friends.

What makes you laugh/cry?  Seeing other people hurting makes me cry.  Watching the kids fall on their butts when we take them roller skating makes me laugh.

If you were a cartoon or a character in a book/movie/play, who would you be and why? Dora the Explorer - She gets to travel around with a monkey, and she's bilingual. How cool is that!