In the winter of 2004, I left a job that I had for 15 years. It is a non-profit organization that inspires girls between the ages of 6 to 18 years of age to be strong, smart and bold. I started Girls Incorporated of Albany as a member to being a membership clerk to tutoring to have my own classroom as well as being a manager for my own center. Leaving that job and those girls was the toughest job, I ever had to do. The reason why I left is because I wasn’t making enough money to support my lifestyle as well as me wanting to go to school and better myself. As I look back, I’m glad I did what I did however; I still volunteer from time to time teaching and aspire the girls to be strong, educated, nurtured and loved. A lot of the girls, I taught back then still remember me and remember quotes and comments I gave to them. To this very day, I have to come by my job and tell me of her success and what I meant to her. At times, I want to cry, but then I look and smile and remember it was me that did that, it was me that helped her.
Tree of love
This was a gift given to me on my last day of student teaching in Leesburg, Ga by the students and my master teacher in May of 2010. I treasure this gift because it reminds me of the passion and the ambition they felt for me.
Tanya:
ReplyDeleteI think it is wonderful you can go back and visit your past program to celebrate your team's work. It is important to have a process where you can acknowledge success as well as study how you can apply lessons learned in your next job or task. I am sure the work of this center has acted as an example of how a team can work towards a goal and make a difference to the girls for their own professional careers later.
Thanks for sharing,
LouAnn
Tanya,
ReplyDeleteWow! How incredibly awesome it is to see the fruit of your labor :) I know that it makes you feel so very good that something that you have done, said, or demonstrated has made such a positive impact on the lives of young women who will one day build upon what you have given to them--that has to make you very proud! It is unfortunate that we have to sometimes choose between doing what we passionately love and doing what must be done for survival and growth--choosing between a job that you enjoy and a job that pays enough to eat/live :) I'm glad that hindsight has clearly confirmed that you made the right decision--now you are on another path of changing and impacting lives again with your newly obtained knowledge of early childhood development. You have my best thoughts and prayers for a successful future in your career as an educator!
CCWhite