By Sian Wilkerson

As Krystal Zelaya closes her first chapter at Virginia Commonwealth University, she’s taking a keepsake for the ages – of up to 5 years: Her graduation stole is decorated by the dozens of children she has helped nurture as a child care aide on campus.

Zelaya, who graduates this month with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, works at the VCU Health Child Development Centers, which provide day care and education for the children of VCU Health system employees.

“I think the kids are so amazing,” Zelaya said. “They’re really funny. Every single one of them has their own different type of character and their own story, and it makes me feel like I’m a little kid again.”

For over a year, she assisted in the center’s classrooms, working with the kids and providing breaks for the teachers. Occasionally she even stepped in as a full-day teacher if there was a staff absence, which “really solidified what I wanted to do in my life,” she said.

In the fall, Zelaya will begin the virtual master’s program in VCU’s School of Social Work, with an eye toward a career in teaching. But for this month’s commencement ceremony as an undergraduate, she found a creative outlet to keep the center’s kids close at heart.

Throughout the day recently, Zelaya brought in what originally was a plain, white stole. Going into each classroom and carrying a selection of paints, she asked the kids to come up one by one and mark their thumbprints. Under each pair, she labeled the child’s name.

It was a memorable experience for Felix Frisa. “We used paint to do thumbprints for her to remember us,” the 5-year-old said.

“I told them what’s going on, what it was for, and that I was graduating,” Zelaya said. “All of them were so excited. Anytime a kid sees paint, they’re all hands in. [Then] I saw their faces light up [when they] saw their thumbprint – they were so happy about it.”

Zelaya, who took her graduation photos with the stole, plans to frame it, along with the rest of her commencement gear, following the ceremony.

“I want it to be hung up because I love looking at it,” she said. “It brings me such memories of this past year, [during which] I feel like I’ve grown myself to be an educator. … Being able to look at it and have it framed and plastered on my wall, it reminds me that this is why I’m doing what I want to do for my future.”

Growing up, Zelaya was inspired by her own teachers to pursue the same path. This summer, she will begin a full-time job at a day care center in Fairfax County, which she will handle in tandem with her VCU online studies this fall.

“I really want to go more into depth with child welfare [education],” she said. “I want to learn in more depth about being able to provide something to kids who do not have the same things I did growing up.”

Though Zelaya is excited to be graduating this month, she is also sad to be leaving such a special – and impactful – place as the VCU Health Child Development Centers.

“A lot of the people that I’ve worked with, they’re very close-knit and very supportive. They truly care about you, and they love being able to see you grow,” she said. “Even though it’s a sad thing that I’m leaving, every person has said that they can’t wait to see me do great things. It hurts me to hear them say goodbye, [but] it just gives me that confidence that I can do this and I know I’m not alone. I have an amazing support system here.”

As for 5-year-old Felix, he had one last message for Zelaya before the next part of her journey: “Good job,” he said.