Why I Teach, #4

Stephanie--second from right. I have no graduation pics of her b/c I had my daughter the day she graduated!

Last night, en route to a femme date at BAM, I ran into a student who graduated two years ago--Stephanie.

Stephanie wasn't your average student at our school. She was the goth girl in a very hip-hop-y school = dark black hair, piercings, wore combat boots, netted shirts, lots of silver rings, etc. She struggled a lot in high school, but I always loved her. Granted, I never actually taught her, but somehow I forged a pretty tight relationship with her during her time at our school. Probably b/c my close friends/co-workers taught her...

But I ran into her on 9th Street yesterday, and she was ecstatic to see me, especially since I'm so hugely pregnant. She began our conversation with, "Those people at (our school) never thought I'd amount to something..." to which I directly replied, "No, honey, some of us always knew you'd amount to something..." It breaks my heart when kids are told so much crap by schools that they internalize forever. I personally know one of Biggie Smalls's teachers from Boys and Girls High School (he's retired now), and every time I listen to "Juicy" when Biggie says, "This album is dedicated to all the teachers who said I'd never amount to nothing" I think, "But Mr.---- didn't think that!" It's heartbreaking how the negative can outlast the positive.

Regardless, Stephanie was so excited to boast of her post-high school success. She just finished a program to be a LPN (Liscenced Practical Nurse) and also got her EMT license at the same time. She is going to get a job at a hospital so someone will pay for her RN degree while she works, and then she wants to go on to be a midwife! She witnessed two births during her schooling and was inspired. A midwife!

Any of you who know me know I adore/worship/idolize midwives. I think they are amazing...I was so happy for her and also thrilled that she was so proud of herself. It just made my night.

Congrats, Stephanie. Some of us did know you'd amount to something.