#Ferguson; the Mayor of Minneapolis; voter suppression; and the list goes on and on. It seems that all I see lately is the backward slide of our nation into virulent hatred and racism. I think we could all use a reminder that there are just as many, or many MORE (I hope), people in our country who have real empathy and choose to do the right things. I had the good fortune to meet up with one of them this week.
I teach at an inner city school on what is considered the "bad" side of a well known West Michigan city. My students are the poorest of the poor; the majority are recent immigrants. One of the biggest problems we teachers consistently bemoan is the lack of resources, especially materials for the students to use at home. Our students are not even allowed to bring home library books because they are never returned. I teach first grade - the grade where students really learn to read - yet they have no books at home to read! A local anonymous donor decided to change that. See video below the fold.
http://www.wzzm13.com/...
An anonymous donor supplied books for over 1400 first grade students in my school district. Books that they can take home. Books they can read to and with their parents. Books they can use to help teach younger siblings how to read. Books that will stretch their minds and expand their worlds. Books that can just be THEIRS - something to treasure and love.
These students are used to having nothing. I add my own children's outgrown winter coats, boots, and gloves to my classroom collection each year for the many kids who come to school all winter in sweatshirts and canvas tennis shoes. A piece of candy is a luxury these kids will work their behinds off for. These students were absolutely flabbergasted that some random person would care enough about them to give them books. One of my students put it this way, "But, they don't even KNOW us! I just can't believe it."
I'm so grateful that my kids had the opportunity to see kindness and generosity. To see that their skin color, country of origin, spoken language, and poverty does not make them somehow WORTH LESS than priviledged, white, American children. To see that adults other than their parents or teachers see special, smart, talented, and WORTHY children who deserve everything others have. To see that complete strangers whom they've never met believe in them. I'm also grateful to be reminded that people like this donor not only exist, but are out there every day taking action to make things even a little bit better. Thank-you. Thank-you.