Jessica Barnes's Blog
Fast Times at Carver High / 10.23.08, 08:35 AM
Theme Music: Hanson’s MMMBop (much to the dismay of my roommates :))
Current Praise: Being background check approved & cleared to be in the high school!
After waiting a few weeks for paperwork to be processed, we were finally cleared to start volunteering at Carver High School. I was excited to get into an English classroom and meet the 11th and 12th graders I’ll be working with. The night before, I thought back to my own junior and senior years and remembered how happy I was to fill out college applications, write admissions essays, and get ready for college. I remembered all the fun times hanging out with friends, going on trips, and staying after school to study for our Academic Decathlon competitions. I remembered how much I loved learning and socializing. Basically, I remembered all of the good and chose to forget about all of the bad. Becky and I had our first day at Carver yesterday and the minute we walked into the office, there was a huge reminder of the bad. It was time for the bane of the existance of high school students everywhere: standardized testing.
The teacher I’ll be helping out had students testing in her room all day so I followed the guidance counselor around instead. We went to an 8th grade classroom and had the students take a skills and interests inventory. By not actually calling this a test, I think the counselors were attempting to avoid the complaints of students (due to the complete agony that all tests deserve). That plan failed. Some of the kids refused to take the test altogether, others answered a few questions then put their heads down. After a few grumbles, a couple of curses, and a lot of questions about how important the test really was and whether it really was mandatory, most of the students reluctantly got out their number 2 pencils and took the test. After helping one student with a few of the questions in the English section, the guidance counselor told me that many of the students are several grades behind and have elementary level reading skills. They were frustrated, that was easy to see.
After the testing period, I went back to the guidance office and spent the rest of my day helping with paperwork, talking to the counselors, and meeting students that came into the office. It was hard to see some of them on the verge of just giving up on school all together. There were students at the age where they should be thinking about graduation but they were struggling to get through the 9th grade. Some were living on their own or just getting back with their families from Hurricane Katrina. Others were more concerned about taking care of children than taking care of homework. I met a girl at the end of the day who had just gotten back to school after having her second baby. She wants to graduate and become a nurse, but more importantly, she wants to be able to take care of her kids. Carver High School is a long way from North Clarion.
I wish there was a way to reach out to every single one of the students to encourage them and let them know that they’re completely capable of making the effort and doing everything they want to do. Tomorrow I’m meeting with the guidance counselor again to talk about starting a program for some of the girls about having respect for themselves and each other. I’m excited to meet with the girls, learn about what they’re struggling with, and help them become role models rather than statistics.
Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but be an example for other believers in your speech, behavior, love, faithfulness, and purity. -1Timothy 4:12
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