Good People

I have been fortunate to work with some wonderful people over my years at Berlin Brothersvalley. I need to relate a story about a young man I work with and the people who have helped bring him into his own over the years.

This little guy was removed from a home where his diabetic mother (now deceased) in a wheelchair was slapped around by the dad and he and his brother were abused and neglected. CYS did the right thing and the children were removed from the home. I worked in the HS at the time but people in town said rats scurried from the trailer when it was hauled away.

I met this little guy "Jay" in the middle of grade 3. He returned to our district in foster care. He was hyper and stood by his desk to write and his foster family was overwhelmed with his level of need. He was tested for an IEP and knowing the trauma he had experienced, was identified Emotional Support. He became quieter, attentive and eager to please in grade 4. He stayed in regular education and marveled everyone with his math abilities.

I watched this little guy move into his aunt and uncle's home, who I forget are such. They look like they could be his grandparents. They adopted him and love him and want the best for him. They get mad at him when he gets C's! I watched and encouraged him and tried to get him out of his shell. Teachers have encouraged him and believed in him and his grades were decent throughout the middle school years and (only a PA teacher can appreciate this) he left 8th grade proficient in reading and advanced in Math.

The team saw his natural talent in computers and math grow in HS. This kid has taken many hard classes our school offers. Chem II, Algebra III/Trig, Web Design, 3D Modeling & Animation, CAD classes, etc. I am happy to say he rose to the challenge for each class. Math, computer and design classes - A's, Science's B's & C's. He is a great kid. Still tiny, still quiet and never quite fitting in but a smile that will brighten anyone's day.

Now in grade 12, he earned an A on his senior project, designing speaker boxes for his car, using the CAD program. He is taking Bio II and wasn't planning on going on his Bio II trip to Wallop's Island in the Spring. Well "his school mother" was not going to see that happen and when I was talking to some collegues in Elem and Middle school, everyone offered to help pay for his trip. I sold more candy for him than I have ever sold in a fundraiser for my own kids and many teachers in the district donated. Some who I never thought would. Good, kind people who are happy to see a child succeed. A little guy who could have been a tragic story of the neglect and abuse many of us in the service field see every day. Well he is NOT one of the casualities. He is a success.

In the fall he is going to Penn Highlands to study computer aided drafting. Berlin community, his family and school family have much to be proud of.