"We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today."
Stacia Tauscher
Tricia Rouse, a teacher at Kimberly Park Elementary School, led me on a tour of the school recently that included visiting several classrooms and meeting students and their teachers.
"Can you all say, ‘Good morning, Mr. Alston'?" Ms. Rouse asked each class we visited. The response was always the same: "Good morning, Mr. Alston."
"Good morning," I'd respond. I was beginning to feel important.
A student, Chris, walked over to me, looked up and confidently asked: "Do you want my autograph?"
"Of course," I replied, handing him my pad and pen. He neatly printed his name on a sheet of paper and proudly returned it to me.
It was career week, and I had been invited to speak at the school. I was impressed with the intimate school environment that nurtures students, their conduct and responsiveness.
"Is that him?" asked a voice in the back of the media center.
"Who said that?" I asked.
All fingers pointed to Latoya, an aspiring lawyer. She has the verbal skills to argue a case and told me so. The group of five girls -- Latoya, Hannah, Irene, Kennia and Zulema -- came over to talk to me before all the students arrived.
"Who wants to introduce me?" I asked. After a little coaching from Ms. Rouse, they decided to share that responsibility.
"Can someone tell Mr. Alston one thing you are doing?" Ms. Rouse asked in another class we visited. Prompted by the teacher, a young girl told me they were working on proper nouns. Without hesitation, her hand was the first one to go up.
In another class, students were working on the letters of the alphabet, specifically the letter "G". That's why they were eating Teddy Grahams. Actually, they were working on several letters with a focus on "G" at that moment. The teacher pointed out several letters on the package to reinforce the lesson being taught.
There is a lot of support and encouragement in this small community-based school. The principal, Dr. Amber Baker, is passionate about learning, demanding respect and accountability, and making a difference. She can relate to the parents and students because she has been in their shoes and had someone who believed in her like she believes in them.
The mother of one of her students was a student of hers years ago. When the mother brought her daughter to school and recognized Dr. Baker, she told her daughter that she was going to be OK. "I am a good mother because of her," she told her daughter.
The education inside the walls of the school extends to parents as well. They are reminded of the rich legacy of the school and community. Some fathers walk their children to school daily and several parents eat breakfast with their children each morning.
"So what did you do in your past?" asked Latoya. I like her spirit.
"What was your first job?" another student wanted to know. "I worked with my granddaddy in his grocery store," I said, sharing my experiences waiting on customers, marking prices, operating the cash register and adding machine, and popping open that brown paper bag to place groceries in.
I asked the students what they wanted to be. "I want to be chief of police," said one young boy. Another student, a girl, wants to be a police officer, too.
"I want to be a professional wrestler," a boy and a girl said. Another wants to join the army to protect our country.
Several want to become lawyers, a few professional football players and one a chef.
"I want to be a doctor," a little girl said.
"What kind?" I asked.
"One that helps children."
That's what this school is doing, helping children. The staff works hard, believes in their students with the support of caring parents who want the best for their children. It's the best-kept secret in the community.
Nigel Alston lives in Winston-Salem. He can be reached at nalston1@triad.rr.com.
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