I'm sure that everyone remembers my YMCA Angel Tree post before Christmas, and in case you don't, here it is.
To recap my YMCA Angels - Gustav asked for a soccer ball, Kiery a shirt from Aeropostal or Hollister. I came through with an actual gift for Gustav - an Adidas soccer ball. Once I stepped into Hollister I pupped out on Kiery and just got a gift card. I used to shop with my son Scott at Hollister, and I never really liked it very well. The store is dark inside and the music was loud and unfamiliar. Thus my Mastercard came out and the gift card was transacted. Hopefully Kiery had more fun going in and picking something out. I'm a pretty enthusastic shopper but the clothes in that sort of store are all too small and young for me so it's hard to me to relate.
Their thank-yous were sweet. Kiery used three different colors of marker and colored in her cover. I felt much appreciated by her effort. Gustav did a LOT of writing, told me I was a "good person" and praised the YMCA after school program as helpful for those who have problems with homework. He never actually issued thanks for the gift, which was what he'd asked for, but there weren't any misspellings and mentioning that I was a "good person" bought him a lot of goodwill!
Being a kid in the DC area is challenging. It's moreso for kids from families with limited means. One doesn't have to look very far to see someone with more or better stuff. So everybody wants to look good. Looking good is nice and all those low-wage workers in China make this an attainable goal for many.
The next hurdle, doing good, being secure requires a job. Living in the DC area is not inexpensive and generally people who move here are working. The kids at the YMCA program more likely than not have working parents. Some of them parents who're working multiple jobs. The kids all know that they need to do well in school, that education is the next step up for them. The school system is invested in student preformance and it's a focus of the school day.
So what's a kid whose parents aren't well educated, who work long hours at one or two jobs to do when school and book learning doesn't come naturally to them? Do they struggle, being happy to pull an average grade out hoping this will propel them into a more secure future or do they give up, frustrated by their surroundings?
The great American myth is that individuals do things for themselves despite their backgrounds. One of the things I've come to believe in my middle-age is that this is not always true, particularly when it comes to school. Kids who do well in school may be working harder, but often they' have natural gifts that make learning easier for them. A quick memory, a facility with words, the ability to sit still -- lots of little things add up to a more successful school experience.
So Kiery and Gustav, I wish you good luck in the upcoming year. Keep yourselves busy, and hang out at the YMCA. You may or may not be a natural at school but staying out of trouble will go a long way towards helping you have a brighter future. Remember the lady who gave you a gift; if you keep showing up there'll be another one next year.
