Believing Made A Difference

While Ray was never one of the worst students I ever taught, he was pretty close to the bottom of my 7th period geometry class.  He loved being the class clown, arriving late to class and doing as little as possible.  But, I saw something in Ray.  I knew the face he presented was masking something better and I pushed and pushed and he passed the class and the regents.

I remember Ray's mom sitting with the very young guidance counselor who really had no words of encouragement for her.  I stopped in, spoke to them all and got a hug from mom when I left.  The counselor even thanked me for helping him out.  I don't remember what I said but I am glad it helped.  Ray graduated Packemin and I just saw Hunter College graduation pictures of him on Facebook.  He told me he never forgot the recommendation I wrote that helped him turn his life around.

Ray was a "loser" In high school who thankfully did not take the easy way out with Mickey Mouse courses.  He persevered.  Thankfully there were no credit recovery, online courses and boot camp so he had to learn.  Tears of happiness rolled down my cheeks when he wrote he wanted to take me to lunch to thank me for believing in him and pushing him to a Bachelor's degree.  I am proud I made a difference in this young man's life.