If you see Victor Perez walking the halls of Binghamton High School, you may think he’s just another student, but Victor actually graduated two years ago. As he makes his way through the building, even some of his former teachers are surprised to see him.

"They were like, ‘oh my God, is that Victor?’” Perez said. “They’re so happy to see me, because they can’t believe, they’re like, how long ago did you graduate? You’re so young, you’re back. It’s good to see you around and stuff like that.”

Perez is part of the district’s latest push to hire more recent alumni to help connect with their students.

So far, this 2020 grad has already left an impact.

“There was a kid, he saw where I came from and stuff like that and that I settled down and stuff like that, and she saw that I can connect with him,” he said. “The kid doesn’t listen to a lot of people but he was listening to me.”

Perez connects with students in the hallways, sometimes walking them to class, along with working as a teacher’s assistant.

“He is a brilliant young man,” Dawne Adams, Binghamton City School District personnel director, said. “I could see from the conversation that he was going to have great connections with kids. He understands. He’s not that much older but understands some of the things that our students go through on a daily basis.”

“They won’t listen to certain teachers because they feel like they don’t know them, they don’t know what you’re going through and stuff like that,” Perez said. “I feel like I could relate to them in a way that I come from a different background and stuff like that.”

As he walks these halls, this Binghamton alumna knows his role is important in today’s age, and the district is hoping to build on it.

“It’s easier to connect with somebody that’s a little bit closer in age with you, somebody that possibly has shared experiences,” Adams said. “They might know that person from the neighborhood.”

“Some stuff that they can slack on like personal situations and stuff like that, I feel like I can motivate them and help them through it and talk about what’s happening through the week,” Adams added. “Situations after high school.”

In the meantime, Perez hopes the connections he makes will leave lasting impacts on the lives of these students.

The district plans to hire more students over the summer. Jobs range from cleaners and aids to teaching assistants and mentors.