MAC Academy

🌟 MAC Leadership in Action at COABE 2026 🌟

Proud moment for our MAC Program!

Three of our mentors — Maryam, Oleksandra, and Bilal — were selected to represent New York State at the COABE Students as Leaders Summit in Indianapolis, joining 2,000+ attendees nationwide.

Their first national conference helped them grow in leadership, communication, and career skills — and now they’re bringing it back to MAC by leading a Youth Leadership Training Program 🙌

Thank you to ESL Foundation and COABE / Dollar General Literacy Foundation for making this possible!
OACES

Free online English classes for adults

🌾 MAC Students at Wickham Farms! 🌾

Our MAC students spent a fun and warm evening at Wickham Farms — meeting new friends, building connections, and learning more about American culture. 🇺🇸

From trying classic American food 🍔🌽 to playing games and exploring the farm, it was a night full of laughter and discovery.

A special thank you to our MAC mentors for guiding students, answering their questions, and making the experience meaningful for everyone! 💙

✨Meet Our Mentors✨ Say Hello to Maryam!!
Hello everyone! My name is Maryam Masoud, and I am so excited to join the Making a Connection (MAC) team as a mentor. A few years ago, I was a MAC student myself, and it became such an important part of my life. The friendships I made, the skills I gained, and the experiences I had through MAC have stayed with me and continue to shape who I am today.
I was born in Afghanistan, raised there, and moved to the United States in 2017. My passion for connecting across cultures has always been at the heart of my work and community involvement. MAC gave me a space to share my own culture while learning from others, and it inspired me to keep building those bridges wherever I go.
Currently, I work with refugee and immigrant youth and families, supporting them through trauma informed, strengths based approaches. I am also beginning my Master of Social Work program at Nazareth University this fall, with the goal of creating inclusive, healing centered spaces in schools and communities.
Outside of work and school, I love volunteering for community events, exploring new places, and reading books that inspire new ideas and perspectives. I am looking forward to meeting all of you and creating new memories together this year.