by Barbara Miller
I never thought I would be the one changed!
I was an English teacher most of my career. So I wondered how difficult could it be to tutor/teach minority high school students as they prepared to take the ACT. As a tutor, I also helped them improve writing essays, researching colleges and writing resumes.
The Collier County NAACP in Florida identifies teens who have an interest in and potential for succeeding in college. I eagerly volunteered for this six-week program provided to the students!
When I was privileged met the parents, I discovered that in some families the father works days and the mother works nights to provide proper supervision for their children.
Many of the households do not speak English at home, which worked as an advantage and disadvantage for the students. Many are bi-or tri-lingual, Creole, French and English or Spanish and English, which will be a plus for them.
Challenges and improvements
The disadvantage can be in their lack of college prep English comprehension, vocabulary and writing skills. And it was often challenging for us tutors to assist the students without discouraging them. We always tried to point out their improvements.
At the outset, the teens were quite shy with us tutors. But as we talked and worked together, we discovered wonderful experiences and competencies! For example, half are regular attendees at their churches. One is in charge of audio-visual; another gave a concert playing classical violin. One girl traveled to her parents’ homeland to assist medical missionaries with her mom. Some were on the track team or in junior ROTC. One fellow cleans his grandmother’s house every Friday. Some are members of Student Christian Athletes; others volunteer at a boys and girls club.
They inspired me
When we first asked them what they do, most said not much. Hah! They inspired me.
That reminded me we all look to a future. Not in the same way, but we can explore and research and march forward toward a better future for ourselves and others.
What does God’s word teach us about hope for the future?
In Jeremiah 29:11 we find, “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.”
We, adults, need to see ourselves as part of God’s plan, not only to raise our own bar. But to assist our youth to rise to their potential and fulfill the plans that God has for them.
Barbara Miller served on the churchwide executive board from 2014-2016. She lives in Naples, Fla. She is chair of the Florida-Bahamas Synod hunger committee and serves on the synod’s global mission committee.