I began working for Citizen Schools in Boston, a non-profit after school program, as a Team Leader in the spring of 2007. After completing my first semester, I had coached a group of middle school students through their homework, encouraged their grade improvement, communicated with their families and teachers, supported volunteers to teach their passions and professions, and learned to write and implement my own various lesson plans. I felt confident and ready for the fall semester to begin. I thought I could handle any challenge that came my way. I had no idea what was in store for me.
April’s mother had been battling cancer for years and sadly passed away one month into the fall semester. April was absent from school for several weeks. When April returned to school and Citizen Schools she had already been through so much at the age of 12 and had put up a wall. Due to her absences, her grades had fallen considerably. She consistently argued with her teachers and other students and ended up in the principal’s office on a weekly basis. At Citizen Schools, April was very outspoken and would find herself in the same position. My job was not easy, in fact I often felt helpless, but I didn’t want to give up on her.
It was hard to give her the one-on-one attention she needed during program with the other 12 students on my team, so the phone seemed like the best option to getting through to her. I realized what April needed was someone to listen to her and be patient, but most importantly, a positive female presence as she entered her teenage years. Through our weekly talks over the phone, April and I were able to form a trusting relationship. I encouraged her to ask her teachers for extra help after school and consistently encouraged her leadership on campus among her peers. It was an up and down year, but no matter what April was going through, she still showed up for Citizen Schools every afternoon.
As the year progressed, instead of calling April, she would call me. She had improved her grades considerably and had become a positive leader at her school. At the end of the year, April wrote me a goodbye note. "Dear Abby: You are very special to me. You have been like a mother to me and I can’t thank you enough. I hope that we will always have a way to talk to each other. Best Friends Forever, April." I still speak with April every couple of weeks. She is passing her classes with flying colors and is getting ready to graduate from the 8th grade. What I learned from April is invaluable. Her perseverance and poise has deeply impacted my life. April helped me to realize it IS possible to make a difference.
We Need Your Help!
During the current economic times, raising the funds we need to support more students like April, is even harder than usual. I'm deeply committed to raising these funds because I care about the students I work with, the 4,000 students we are serving across the country, and the many more we hope to serve in the years ahead. Any gift will make a difference. Even if you cannot give, thank you for taking the time to read this and for all of your encouragement and friendship. Please feel free to forward this on to your family and friends.
Thank you in advance,
Abby
$10 can buy supplies for our students (paper, pencils, and markers)
$25 can fund an academic achievement trip for a student
$50 can fund an entire 10-week apprenticeship class