Little payoff

I had a student several years ago, who I actually knew from the school where I aided. He had a rough go as a little guy, and he worked his way into my heart because of the situation he was being raised in.

When he became my student as a fifth grader, he was on a path of destruction. He had very little direction at home, a rough group of friends, and desire to be like the other kids. He wasn't though. He did have much to overcome, but a high level of intelligence. One day, after he had been in trouble every day for a week we came to an impasse. When you have a kid like him, nothing is as bad as what is at home waiting for him, so no level of re-direction or discipline means much.

So, we had a little chat. I told him sincerely that I knew what it was like at home, and that unless he decided that he wanted things to be different for him in his life, nothing would ever change for him. I told him that the people he was hanging with would introduce him the same things his mom was having trouble with--and that if he thought he was stronger and could be better than that, he was crazy. I told him the truth about his scores, that he was in fact, in the top five of my class. I told him that I hoped he would use his intelligence and do something with his life and break the cycle. I told him that I would help him find scholarships and help him enroll in college--and that I believed that education was his ONLY chance for a better life. Things changed a little for the rest of the year and then he moved.

I have had a little contact with him since then, but I wondered and worried about where he was all the time.

Today, after the funeral of a person too young to die, I saw my student. He now towers over me and is a man. He gave me his big smile and grabbed me and pulled me into a hug. Then he said, "Mrs B, you know how you said you would help me get into school? I've been working hard and I only have 3 credits left and then I can get into an electronics program at ISU. Can you help me?"

I can't tell anyone what that meant to me.

Nice to know I can make a difference. I love this kid. I love all my babies, but this one kid is exactly the reason I became a teacher. I am SO happy I can help him.