ladders profile: new year, new job for Substitute Teacher Hanan AlAqool
Congratulations to Hanan AlAqool, former Parent Mentor with Arab American Family Services
Hanan AlAqool learned about the Parent Mentor Program at an Arab American Family Services booth during open house night at her daughter’s school in Oak Lawn. In March 2026, she joined Ladders.
Since then she’s worked to obtain her Substitute Teacher License. And in September, she started as a Substitute Teacher with Oak Lawn’s Ridgeland School District 122. She’s not stopping there—Hannan is now pursuing a Master’s in IT Management.
Ladders of Opportunity Universal Coach Indigo Niznik-Darden interviewed Hannan about her experience with Ladders of Opportunity. (This interview has been edited for concisenness)
Indigo: Were you always interested in education?
Hanan: My dad and mom were teachers in the past. But I appreciated it more when I got into the classroom and saw how much effort is being put in as a teacher.
[While] I was not passionate about being a kid's teacher, after I experienced [the classroom] I would say the kids [are] better to be around. I'm still building my future career for grown-ups, to be a PhD professor at the university, as I'm completing my master’s now. Soon it's gonna be the PhD.
How did you find out about the Parent Mentor Program?
There was an open house in my daughter's school and they had a booth with the Arab American Family Services. [The Parent Mentor Program] caught my eye…The idea of something I've been looking for. I want to be closer to my daughter, and to be closer into the classrooms.
What was something that you learned as a Parent Mentor that encouraged you to join Ladders of Opportunity?
On the last day with one of the classes [where I volunteered], I found that each kid in the classroom had written me a letter remembering every detail and tiny help I gave them. It was so emotional, but it made me think about what may be a small thing for us, how much it means for kids.
Where are you now on your work journey?
I've signed a contract with Ridgeland School District 122 as a Substitute Teacher. As I [obtained] the license with you guys, you helped me to do my transcripts, to do the evaluation. You helped me with every single step.
What do your kids and family think about this new chapter?
Now I'm more involved with my community, I made more friends. My kids…[are] proud of their mom when they saw [me] at school. They’re like, “Oh! My mom is a teacher at the school!”
So where do you hope to be or what do you hope to be doing in the next five years?
Getting my PhD! Maybe becoming a professor or a manager in some telecommunication field. And I'm not quitting my substitute teacher, because I want to stay close to kids. You could call it a spiritual thing that I want to add to myself, but I'm not quitting it….And I'm going to take the citizenship [test] as well in the next couple of years!
What did you find within Ladders and the Parent Mentor Program that changed the way you look at your education?
Sometimes you want that kick out of your comfort zone…. I was planning to get my Master’s, but was delaying it. And then [after I joined Ladders,] I felt more belonging to the community and I was like, “why wait?”
Anything else about the program that has been important?
The most exceptional thing is knowing you, Indigo. You're added as a, let's say a friend, a person who I can trust whenever I needed advice, professional advice. Also, the organization I've been working with, they were so nice following up with us, getting us up to date with the Arab American Family Services.
A moment I won't forget is on graduation [from the Parent Mentor Program] when I had to make the thank you speech. I was a little bit emotional because I felt I achieved the personal stuff, a lot of personal stuff for myself. So that moment I will never forget.