Introducing Pa Kou

While we will miss having Leah Engelhart on staff, we are very pleased to introduce Pa Kou Yang as the new Program Assistant at DinoMights. One of the greatest assets that Pa Kou provides to youth in the Phillips, Powderhorn, and Central Neighborhoods is that she is one of them! That's right, she grew up here and still lives here. Enjoy reading what Pa Kou herself has to say about her new position at DinoMights.

Hi,

I am Pa Kou Yang, the new Program Assistant at DinoMights. It’s really hard to find a work place that values the same things as you, and so I am blessed to have the opportunity to be a part of such an amazing organization where I can do two things that I love: educate students and serve God.

A little about myself: I was raised all my life in south Minneapolis right in the Powderhorn Neighborhood. I went to Minneapolis schools throughout my Elementary and High school years, and graduated from Augsburg College in 2005 with a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. My career as an educator really started when I landed a job with Park Avenue Methodist Church as a summer counselor. I needed a job and they needed counselors. Little did I know that God would use me in such an amazing way that summer. It changed my life forever. The church was a second home where I felt safe. At the end of that summer, I realized that my calling in life is to serve kids in the city.

Living in the neighborhood and being part of organizations like DinoMights has given me opportunities to minister to kids like myself. It’s been such a blessing to see how much these kids have grown over the years. Many of them are now starting their first year or second years in college, and many of them return to DinoMights or to Park Avenue Church to serve the community. I really believe that just like myself, many of them continues to participate because they want to show these children the love that was given to them when they were younger. Therefore, I would like to thank DinoMights for giving me the opportunity to touch the lives of kids and I look forward to meeting new people as well as learning more about Hockey.

Sincerely,

Pa Kou Yang