By The Numbers...

14 – The number of workdays until City Year graduation. 

9 – The number of in-school service days left. 

2 – The number of Fridays left. 

2 – The number of City Year paychecks left. 

1 – The number of report cards left to see growth in my students. 

 I can’t believe this year is almost over. I can’t believe I lasted. I can’t believe my students are all going to move on to the 7th grade next year. I can’t believe how much growth I’ve seen in most of them. I can’t believe how many challenging years still lie ahead for them. I can’t believe I will, in 2 weeks, no longer be proudly serving as a corps member at Hopkins Lloyd Community School. I can’t believe come July 2nd, I will proudly be serving as a Team Leader for City Year Milwaukee, school TBD. I can’t believe how much I love my students. I can’t believe how much they love me. I can’t believe how much they need me. I can't believe how much I've needed and need them. I can’t believe how much some of them go through every day. I can’t believe almost my entire class of 27 students is on some form of behavior-controlling medication. I can’t believe I’m just finding this out. I can’t believe Doushion and his mom will get to come to the City Year Gala, which might be his first brush with the wealthy. I can’t believe I’m being asked to speak at the Gala. I can’t believe how much I’ve grown and changed this year. I can’t believe how lucky I am to have experienced everything I have this year.

 I want to go through all the students in my class and say what I am most proud of them for. Maybe I’ll give this to them. Maybe I’ll read it to them the last day of school. Maybe I’ll never share it with them. But I need to recognize both my efforts and theirs somehow.

 KA– You realized how important education is for you. You majorly adjusted your attitude since October. You have more confidence about reading aloud. 

AC– You have made crazy strides. I hate that your grades don't reflect it yet, but I can see how badly you want to succeed and make me, your mom, and yourself proud. You know how to ask for help, and now understand that it is not a sign of weakness. You still need reminding, but I think you really know that you can only control yourself. YOU can control your success! 

PE– I may have only succeeded in getting you to reading class half of the time, but that's more than you would have gone if I wasn't there. You WANT to understand math as well. I see so much of myself in you. You brought your grade up from a U to a C in math. I cried out of happiness when I saw that.

MH– One of my starfish. I think you are the boy version of me. Low confidence to start, until an adult believed in me. You went from a U to a B in math and a D to a B in reading. My favorite memory of you is when you changed the words of the Pussycat Dolls' song, "Don't Cha?" and sang, "Don't you wish your students were smart like me?" to me at lunch one day. I know you are destined to do great things. 

DH– I was nervous when I found you on my reading focus list, but you have gotten so much better. We've seen each other at our best and at our worst. I'll never forget the first time you came to me to confide instead of fighting. I'm so proud of you. I love how interested you are in everything, from the Titanic to black holes. Never lose your curiosity! 

DM– Another one of my starfish. You jumped 20 points on your math MAP test. I have never seen a student so committed to success at your age. Your testimonial about me brought me to happy tears. I can't wait to see you succeed in life. 

EP– You are so misunderstood by so many adults in your life. But I know that you can be one of the sweetest kids if you are given a chance. You continually impress me with your knowledge of measurements and conversions in math. 

 JT– You are strong and silent, but I can tell how much you respect me. You try so hard, and you only missed one day of school because you were getting your tonsils out. I want you to continue to speak up in class, and ask questions. You are a smart young person. Own it! 

AW– I knew I was going to have a love/hate relationship with you from the very 1st day of school. I made you my challenge at the midway point, and I vowed I wouldn't give up until your reading grade matched your reading ability. Your MAP scores increased astronomically. I wish you had more focus, but I know that will come with age. I am so proud of your dedication to your education, and for not crumbling under peer pressure and bullying. You are a stronger woman than I was at your age. 


 I want so badly to hold on to all of these students for the rest of their lives, to see how their doing, and to make sure they're staying on track to go to college. I know I can't do that though, and I hope so much that I've taught them enough this year so that they won't fall off next year. The majority of them have been dealt a really crappy hand in life, and they haven't been told by a lot of people that they can change that. These kids and I, we've been on a crazy roller coaster this year. We've survived 3 teacher changes, book shortages, room changes, pencil losses, loss of family members, and much more. We've have triumphs over good choices not to fight but to tell an adult, grade increases and MAP score increases, and improved attendance. I will never, ever forget any of them. Cheers to 2 weeks left. Let's make it count.