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Empowering Darke County Youth
On
behalf of our kids… Thank You!
By Bob Robinson
“What is 67 plus 14?”
Students worked vigorously on their whiteboards… holding up their
answers as soon as they got them. Answers included 71, 711 and a couple
others. Most, however, were correct with 81.
Spell “explain.”
Again, students started to work… eksplane, explane, esplan… wrong, but
again, most were correct.
That was five or six years ago; the years have a tendency to flow
together these days… I was substituting for an elementary class, don’t
remember which one. I was using a combination of math problems and
sight words expected for that grade level. Most students got most
questions right. Some did better than others, some not quite as well;
about what you would expect in a class of 25 plus or minus students.
Two, however, missed every single question. They were sitting in the
front row, next to each other. Their answers weren’t the same but they
were equally incorrect. I could see the frustration on each child’s
face as she continually held up her white board and continually had to
erase a wrong answer. Both students were getting upset.
It was close to lunchtime, so I gave the class one last spelling word.
Same result with the exception of the two girls sitting in front. They
held up their white boards… one said “Im just stupid.” The other said
“Im stupid.”
It broke my heart. No child should ever feel that way. I swore to
myself there had to be something… something I could do. I began to
offer tutoring that summer. A few years later, thanks to the
encouragement of a mother of two students I had helped, Empowering
Darke County Youth was born.
Last spring, starting on a Friday, the day after my Edison State
classes were over, I had an 11-day substitute cycle at Greenville
Elementary & Middle School. Nine of those days were in the primary
grades… kindergarten, first and second.
I got a glimpse into the life of a primary school teacher. I wasn’t
tired. I was exhausted. But would I do it again? You betcha! Note… we
can never pay teachers enough for what they do!
Last week, starting the day after my fall Edison classes were over, I
had a six-day substitute cycle… three primary, two middle and one high
school. While all six were enjoyable, fulfilling days, one stands out
as more than just notable. It was heart-warming. It was the last day
before the Christmas break and I was substituting in a seventh grade
advanced math classroom.
Note… I said Advanced Math. During the day I saw four former Empowering
students. Four! All had been struggling in math. All took advantage of
the opportunity Empowering offered. Since then, these students are now
in an Advanced Math class, and all have made Merit or Honor Roll or
both.
I was ecstatic!
Unfortunately I never saw those first two students again, but since
then our Empowering programs have helped hundreds of students whose
caregivers made sure their children took advantage of the help that was
available to them.
To those caregivers – parents, grandparents, stepparents – thank you
for caring. Thank you to our Empowering Board: Eric Fee, Kendra
Chalmers, Rhonda Williams, Lyn Bliss, Kay Sloat, Chelsea Jones, Susi
Halley, Doreen Larson, Jody Harter, Michael Chalmers, Amanda Olson,
Jerrod Newland, Melissa Eve and Brittany Ullman. Your support has made
possible programs that have helped students succeed when they otherwise
might not.
Working with struggling students can be a challenge. Nobody knows that
more than our teachers and support staff. But, at least in my humble
opinion, it is also the most rewarding thing we can do.
To Kay and Chelsea for the unbelievable number of hours they have
donated. To Steve Plessinger, Jim Kildow, Tony Baker, Sue Lepore, and
Mary Price… To all the Edison students who gave up their afternoons to
help… and especially to those who went above and beyond: Jenette Stark,
TreShawn Ashby, Christopher Bucklew, Jonathan Crawford, Cody Evans, and
Jayce Lovette… Thank you so much!! Your efforts have not gone unnoticed.
In 2019 we start again for the remainder of the school year. As always,
we need help, both with your time and your financial support. We will
be asking… until then, however, I simply want to say Thank You! Thank
you for caring enough!
Have a wonderful Christmas and a fantastic New Year!
God Bless!
Bob
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