The Southwest Voice

By: Peggy Dewane-Pope

Most of the time, my students give me the best they have to offer. Some kids shoot off the charts by giving me their undivided attention, working on projects and far exceeding my expectations, while others give me all they can on any given day.

In the Southwest we have students with too little food in their stomachs and kids who slip through the cracks in their lives because the adults around them are trying to survive. Seems crazy, doesn’t it? It’s true.

So what can we do? As parents, we can take time to talk to our kids. Believe me, I’m not getting on a soap box here: I have a 15-year-old who could definitely use more of my time! Talking to our children doesn’t have to be a dramatic scheduled event. It can be just talking about what the two of you have in common.

What about those kids who have it rough? What can we do for them?

For starters, support schools’ efforts to get kids reading. You know those books around the house gathering dust? Contact a local teacher or principal and see if a classroom library needs donations. Any school has a book wish list a mile long. Do you receive “Popular Mechanics,” “Hot Rod” or other magazines that would appeal to young readers? Donate them to a school or the Southwest Library. Novels geared for young adults find their way to school libraries, but many students are attracted to nonfiction. I know I don’t have nearly enough books on cars, animals or science fiction in my classroom library, which has more than 1,000 titles.

Finally, be there for a child. If you’re a parent, support your child’s friends by providing them with experiences they might not otherwise have. I just had a student write a touching poem to a classmate’s father about how thankful she is that he has included her in family trips, that he spent time coaching her and his daughter on the basketball court, and that he made her feel like part of his family. No greater gift could be given.

If you’re not a parent, get involved in faith-based organizations that support children and their programs. Donate sports equipment or electronics to those organizations or schools.

Believe it or not, hungry kids do haunt our neighborhoods. While we focus on donating food during the holidays, people are hungry year-round. Donate food to nonprofit or faith-based organizations — they appreciate it any time.

I know some grow weary and resentful of the “It takes a village to raise a child” sentiment, but I truly believe the world is a better place because I am taking the time to love children who are not my own.

— Peggy Dewane-Pope is an eighth grade English and reading teacher with the Panama-Buena Vista Union School District at Stonecreek Junior High School.