It Only Takes One

It only takes one.  One champion. One person to believe in a child. One to advocate. One to see their value, their worth.  While I hope our schools are filled with these people, the truth is, a significant impact can happen from only one.

After Dayshawn’s passing, I have come across remnants of the time I spent teaching at the alternative school. I journaled after one significant conversation where he shared how his teachers had been “clowns”, always looking for him to mess up. I reflected then, why would you come to school if you knew everyone was waiting for your demise? 

A few months after Dayshawn joined the school, he suddenly quit coming. I recall the conversations, “Oh I guess he’s finally dropped out.” If any of my students quit coming to school, I made sure to find out why and to let them know I wanted them there.  I called up my social worker friend, Big E, and asked him if he’d be willing to go with me to Dayshawn’s apartment to find out why he hadn’t been in school. He graciously agreed.  

When we knocked on the door, no one came.  We knocked again. And again. The door creaked open, and Dayshawn’s mom answered. She called for him and he came to the door. The shock on his face told the story. Shock that school staff came to check on him, and shock that anyone cared enough to do that. 

He came back to school the next day.  It became a running joke with the kids that if you missed school, Ms. Jones would come for you. 

A few weeks ago, I traveled to Asheville to see Dayshawn’s family, some other previous students, and friends. I went to Dayshawn’s mother’s house.  She had one of his graduation photos blown up and hung on her living room wall.  I said, “Look at that.” She replied, “Yep, Ms. Jones, we did that.” We were behind him, with him, and for him. He needed just one, one champion, one person who saw past the trauma and the past to see potential and worth. 

Does every child in your school have a champion? Who are you willing or unwilling to champion? At what cost? 

We cannot overlook any child in our care.  Educating them is second to seeing them and believing in them. It only takes one.