Category: Happiness

Mighty Women Part II

Published on by Sharron BurnettLeave a comment

One of the goals of KIPP Houston High School, where I spent my last years as an educator, was to assist students in the journey to and through college. We developed an iron-clad three pronged relationship between our students, their parents and all of us who worked in the KIPP world. That connection continued even after our pupils had graduated. The idea was to offer our support so that the young men and women might be able to navigate through the many ups and downs of life and still earn college diplomas. I always felt that the most powerful aspects of the triumvirate were actually the students themselves and their families. We teachers, counselors and administrators were mostly a safety net and source of information, facilitators if you will. It was the grit inside the hearts of our kids and the love that they experienced from their parents that has made them so enormously successful. This past weekend I witnessed the power of my former students over and over again.

Christine Marsh was a standout in my Algebra I class, someone that I noticed on the very first day. She is beautiful, intelligent, friendly and loving. She is the kind of student whom teachers love, the golden girl with all of the characteristics of a truly gifted and talented individual. Somehow she has managed to also be humble and thus she has always been quite popular with everyone. As she progressed through the four years of high school her aura of greatness only increased and everyone who knows her suspects that she is destined for great things.

Christine started her college career at the University of Texas and it did not go as well as she had hoped. Somehow it was not a good fit for her and so she came back home feeling a bit defeated. She went to work and reflected on how to make a comeback. It was a bit rough in the beginning but Christine is made of hardy stuff and she began the process of going to college anew at the University of Houston, applying the full force of her determination and intellect to both her job and her studies. As Christine likes to joke, she took “the six year scenic route,” which was often grueling and tested her endurance to the max.

This past Friday Christine Marsh walked across the University of Houston stage and proudly accepted the diploma that speaks of her triumph. She promises to continue to work hard and be nice, never forgetting the KIPP mantra that helped her to reach her goal.

Cindy Lugo-Jaimez, another KIPP alumna, always seems to be a friend to everyone. She has a generous heart and an unflagging willingness to help anyone in need. Her kindnesses haven’t always been returned, but Cindy just smiles and continues to be the sweet person that she is, regardless. In the spirit of giving, she enrolled in the College of Healthcare Professions and somehow managed to give her all to her family while earning high marks and consistently landing on the Dean’s List. 

Cindy proudly continued to dote on her three beautiful children, which is a full time job for anyone, but proved that she is truly a super woman when she earned a diploma that seems perfect for her giving personality. She is now officially certified to be a medical assistant. She has become an awesome role model for her kids and for all of us who have watched her persistence. She will without a doubt be incredible in her new job.

Brooklyn Taylor was what some educators might call a challenge. She went through high school with a bang, ever vigilant for signs of  unfairness. She possesses a brilliant mind that is as strong as a steel trap. If we had offered debate at our school she might have been a champion. As it is, she always speaks up whenever she feels that anyone has been wronged. Her logic and her arguments are flawless and her fellow students admire her for her courage.

While in high school Brooklyn served as the Vice President of the National Honor Society and introduced her classmates to the world of autism by raising awareness and funds for a program that channeled the unexplained mysteries of autistic children into skateboarding. Brooklyn’s concern for those with special needs goes far beyond a cursory interest and she has continued to spend her summers serving as a camp counselor and devoted advocate for them.

At our school, Brooklyn had a following among certain members of the faculty who saw a uniqueness in her inquisitive nature. I was not alone in admiring her. She developed a strong bond with one of her social studies teachers who had attended William and Mary University as an undergraduate. He saw greatness in Brooklyn and encouraged her to apply to his alma mater. We were all quite happy for her when an acceptance letter arrived. Now, she is officially a graduate of William and Mary and the rest of her days are bound to be as exciting as they have been thus far.

When Linda Ayala was at KIPP Houston High School she was a founding member of the UNICEF club. She donated countless hours of her time to raise funds for various causes, including providing help for those devastated by the earthquakes in Haiti. She is an unassuming young lady who worked hard at her studies and helped without a great deal fanfare or hesitation. I remember her mostly for her sweet and sincere smile and her willingness to do any job that I gave her.

In my last days before retirement there was still a great deal of money in the UNICEF account and the officers of the club voted to distribute the funds before I left. After giving to the American Red Cross and several local charities, the officers felt that it would be nice to provide a small scholarship to a deserving member of the organization. Linda was their overwhelming choice and she used their gift well. This weekend she graduated from Syracuse University and is now ready to put her many talents to the test.

Gabrielle Martin caught my eye way back in high school. She bears herself with the kind of unassuming dignity that befits a woman of distinction. She had been looking forward to her graduation with great expectation but the realities of the world intruded on her celebration. Sadly her mother ended a battle with cancer only days before the commencement exercises. Gabrielle graduated from the University of Houston with a degree in Public Health on Friday and buried her mother on Saturday. It was a bittersweet moment for her because it had been her mother who had always inspired her to be her very best. It seemed unimaginably horrific for such a thing to happen and my heart has been grieving for Gabrielle unremittingly. 

In many ways, Gabrielle is the mightiest of all of the outstanding women whose stories I have told. She has demonstrated the depth of her strength in a situation that would have broken most of us. I am certain that her mother’s bright spirit lives on inside of her. I pray that one day her broken heart will heal and she will know that her mom is indeed an angel guiding and protecting her forever. 

Gabrielle is truly my hero.

I am so proud of each and everyone of these young women. As long as they grace our world we are all just a bit better. Let their adventures commence. They will be fascinating.

Mighty Women Part I

Published on by Sharron BurnettLeave a comment

There was a time when little girls were the high achievers in elementary school but as they progressed through middle school and high school they were eventually overtaken by the boys. That trend has slowly and dramatically changed over time. Today there are more young women enrolled in universities than men and to their credit more of them actually earn degrees than their male counterparts. I witnessed a microcosm of that effect this past weekend as so many of the young ladies with whom I had formerly worked graduated from universities all across the country. I was overwhelmed with the deepest pride and respect for them because I know that their hard labors began long ago.

Sara Reyna was one of my Algebra students. She was a quiet and somewhat shy young lady caught in the midst of my most rowdy class. She was not prone to their pranks and purposeful distractions but was far more studious and determined. Over the course of four years Sara and I shared many conversations in which I learned much about her courage and grit. She wisely chose to befriend an outstanding group of like-minded young women and together all of them became some of my all time favorite people and great success stories.

Sara always reminded me so much of myself. She stayed in Houston to attend college while her friends went away. She worked while going to school and was somewhat uncertain as to what she ultimately wanted to do with her life. It took her time and much soul searching to finally realize that she wanted to be a teacher. I knew that she would be incredible in that capacity and hoped that she would one day join the ranks of those of us whose profession is dedicated to passing the torch of knowledge from one generation to the next.

Sara somehow managed to work and handle eighteen hour course loads in her quest for a degree. On Friday her dreams came true as she walked across the stage at the University of Houston to receive her diploma in Education. She had won yet another hard fought battle and I am giddy with happiness for her and her family because I know how important this moment is. I also believe that when the school bells ring in the fall there will be some very lucky students assigned to Ms. Reyna’s class. Knowing that Sara will be in charge gives me nothing but great hope for the future of our boys and girls.

Sara shared her joy with yet another of my Algebra students, Meliza Aranda. Meliza was also a rather quiet student who was lucky enough to be in a class with more serious and focused individuals. She and I never spoke much but I noted that she was always polite, prepared and studious. I had lost track of her after graduation from high school, so it was with great delight that I realized that she had attended my alma mater, the University of Houston and that she had also chosen to major in Education. Like Sara, Meliza graduated this past Friday.

I spent many years interviewing prospective teachers and I now have a knack for determining how well a person will do inside a classroom. I predict that Meliza will be a masterful teacher. The students and parents will have a treasure in her. I’m blissfully happy to know that she is now part of the educational sisterhood.

Meanwhile at Texas Tech University, Julie Dominguez claimed her Masters degree in Biomedical Sciences. She is from the same Class of 2010 as Sara and earned her first degree two years ago. Julie is a happy person who always seems to beam with an inviting smile. She loves people, sports and her family. Sadly she has seen more tragedy than most. Only weeks before her graduation her beloved cousin was murdered as he attempted to come to the aid of a woman who was being attacked. It was with a profound sadness that she somehow found the fortitude to finish the work for her graduate degree. Now she plans to move forward with great purpose so that she might honor her family.

Julie is a brilliant young woman who has a way with people and with words. She recently posted her thoughts on Facebook and inspired all of us with her bravery and her faith. “Thank you God, you have a purpose for us all,” she began. “Even though I don’t know where life will take me, I know you will lead me to my purpose…A special thanks to my angels who are always taking care of me from above. This triumph is dedicated to all of y’all that make me a better person.”

I suspect that this is only a first step for Julie. She is a woman on a mission and she will not stop until she is positioned to make this world a healthier and happier place for all of us. I am certain that she will bring the change that she wishes to see in a world that has not always been kind to her and her family. Somehow Julie Dominguez remains a shining light of optimism for all of us.

Marissa Garza, another Class of 2010 KIPP alumna, has always kept her eye on the prize. As a student at KIPP Houston High School she demonstrated a maturity and intellect a step above her peers. She is a wise and loyal person who instills confidence. People seem to seek her out as a comforting presence. Somehow it seems only fitting that she graduated this weekend with a degree in nursing, an occupation that fits so perfectly with all of her nurturing qualities.

Earning her diploma has been a stressful battle with difficult coursework and hours long rotations in the hospital that might have defeated a lesser person. Marissa admits to having shed many tears in her quest to become a nurse but somehow she kept picking herself back up and slowly but surely moved forward. She is eager to take her certification exams and get her license to practice her skills.

Someone somewhere is already going to have a better experience with a health problem because Marissa will be there to help him/her through the process of regaining health. The same loving and encouraging ways that her friends and family have always observed in her will become the foundation upon which she will no doubt build a stunning career.

I am so proud of these four incredible women. Each of them had to overcome challenges to reach goals that seemed so distant back when I first met them. I have watched them change from giddy young teenagers into mighty women of distinction. Their actions and character make KIPP Houston High School and all of us who worked with them there feel incalculably proud. They have truly climbed the mountain of educational success and I suspect that their view from the summit is breathtaking. I know that as I watch them from my vantage point I am in awe. 

A Man of Conviction

Published on by Sharron BurnettLeave a comment

13217425_10154872781052942_8943469239859733222_o-2During my years as an educator I encountered so many young people. They kept me going in a profession that is not always kind. Whenever things became especially challenging my students reminded me why I had chosen a career so fraught with frustrations. There have been so many souls who sat in front of me, some of them seemingly lost and others filled with promise. Over the years there were certain individuals who stood out from their peers. They possessed certain qualities of intellect and determination that convinced me that they were destined for success. One of those people was Shaun Wilkins.

My instincts told me as soon as I met Shaun that he was an extraordinary young man. He possessed a look in his eyes that spoke of his intelligence and unyielding curiosity. He was a reflective soul who was unwilling to simply accept pronouncements on face value. Shaun demanded to know the truth, for he was a natural born critical thinker. I also noted that Shaun Wilkins was driven by an unwavering sense of justice as well as a strong faith in God that tempered the way he viewed the world. He was never content to simply walk away from situations that he believed were unfair. He was instead inclined to want to affect positive change in the world and to fight for what he thought to be right.

Shaun graduated from KIPP Houston High School in 2010. He was headed for Tufts University in Boston and filled with a sense of great excitement. I was not at all surprised that he had been accepted to such a prestigious school. It seemed a perfect fit for his interests and outstanding academic background but the good Lord had other plans in mind for him. During his freshman year events unfolded that required him to return to Houston to help with his family.

Shaun never complained about his fate. Instead he shouldered his responsibilities like the man that he is. He found a job and did what he knew that he must do. He reassessed his options and once his world calmed down enough he entered Wiley College in Marshall, Texas, an historically Black private school dating all the way back to the nineteenth century.

Once he had resumed his education there was no holding him back. With the support of his family, the grace of God and his own resolve, Shaun Wilkins graduated this past Saturday with a degree in Sociology. Photos of the event that he posted on Facebook show his profound happiness. I so wish that I had been there to celebrate with him. I make it a point to attend the commencement exercises of my former students whenever they invite me and Shaun had requested the presence of many of us who had been part of his academic journey. Unfortunately three prior commitments prevented me from being present to watch Shaun triumphantly walk across the stage. Nonetheless my thoughts and my love were with him all day long. I know how hard he worked to achieve his goal and how earnest he has always been in wanting to understand how our society works and how he might help to make the changes needed to make our world a more peaceful and just place in which to live.

I have little doubt that Shaun Wilkins will be a positive force in our midst. Shaun has not been shy about sharing the credit for his accomplishments with his beloved family He fully understands how much they have sacrificed to always support him in his efforts. He is also vocal about his gratitude to God who stood by him even when his road seemed dark and lonely. He has not forgotten the teachers, the friends and the many people who walked with him if only for a brief time as he triumphed over the obstacles that seemed to incessantly block his path. We all watched him overcome the odds so that he might show the world that he is indeed the gifted man that I always thought him to be. Shaun’s own words speak volumes. “I have always been proud of my heritage; but to become a black man with a degree in a world that says we’re less than is an honor all its own. I take none of this for granted and none of it for myself. I give all honor to God because if it were all on me, I would have been down and out 4 years ago. I’m thankful my limits as a man are not His.”

The speaker at Shaun’s ceremony told the graduates that they have the power to achieve their goals. “You don’t have to wait for your ship to come in. You can build your own ship.” These are fitting words for a young man who has never let any setback hold him down. Shaun is ready to sail away into adventure.

My heart is filled with joy for Shaun Wilkins. He has demonstrated that life is about persistence, flexibility and a willingness to make the best of disappointments. He is more than ready to assume his place in the world, and I will continue to watch his progress with great anticipation for it will no doubt be glorious. Congratulations, Shaun. This is only the beginning. I can’t wait to see your story unfold.

They Live In You/They Live In Me

Published on by Sharron BurnettLeave a comment

Serenity

Of late, so many people that I know have been posting sentiments that speak of the deep feelings of sorrow and loss that they are experiencing because of the deaths of loved ones. They feel not just sadness but deep seated regrets as well. They are thinking that perhaps they never made it clear enough how much they truly loved the people who have died. Some wish that they had spent more time enjoying life with their dearly departed. Others simply wish for more time. All such feelings are universal to the human experience. We all have them at one time or another and they are always difficult, even when we believe with all of our hearts that the people we are missing have gone to a much better place. Continue reading “They Live In You/They Live In Me” →

Happy Days at the Dime Store

Published on by Sharron Burnett1 Comment

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When I was growing up Saturday was a very big deal. My brothers and I arose at what seemed like the crack of dawn and we watched cartoons and kid programs while our mother slept late. Once she woke up and had her morning coffee it was time to begin our house cleaning tasks. We were all quite busy during the school week with lessons and activities so we generally let the house go to seed from Monday through Friday. We didn’t worry a great deal about mounds of clothes on the floor or dust covering the furniture. We knew that come Saturday we would get things back in tip top order. Continue reading “Happy Days at the Dime Store” →