Tanisha gave me a sideways glance, paused and said “Am I in trouble?” Should you be, I thought. “No, not at all, in fact, I think you are quite lucky.” I laughed and shot her a quick smile.
We went into the office and shut the door. Nervously, I told her I’d be mentoring her more closely, I rambled, because of her unending potential and incredible growth and obvious maturity, and ah, to hell with it, because I like you. She grinned, slouched back in her chair and uttered “ok.”
“Let’s get down to business then. You’ve been in a GED program for a year. Last week you told you me you were going to take it. What happened?”
“I am afraid to take it and fail. I have already taken it once and failed. But I like the classes. And I want to go to college, I like helping people. Working in fast food, that isn’t the place for me. I don’t want a little shit job. I don’t know what I want to do, but I want to go to college. I like helping people. The problem with the GED is I don’t know what to study and the stuff in the books isn’t the same stuff we learn in class and that’s not the same stuff on the test.”
“Have you ever spoken to your teacher about it?” She looked puzzled. “Talk to the teacher? Um, no.”
“Pull your teacher aside after class and ask him these things. He is there for you, do not be afraid of your teacher. Would you be willing to be tutored for the next 8 weeks? I think if we stick to it, you can take the GED in March and be finished in time for us to apply for financial aid in the spring. You could be in a college program in fall. If you don’t know what you want to do, look into a technical school for the first year or so. You’re just taking required classes, it will be less expensive and a good place to establish your grades. Then you can transfer to a university.”
Sigh of relief, she wants to go to college. Much easier to get her in college than find her a job, much more opportunity, oh thank you god. I know I can get her into school. Most of our kids want to find housing on a minimum wage ($5.15 in the state of Georgia, lower than the federal rate), and it’s just impossible.
“Where are you staying?”
“With my mom. She drinks beer, you know what I mean? I hate living with her, she’s agressive when she’s drunk, she likes my sisters and brothers more than me. I was raised by my grandmother but she died when I was 15. I didn’t want to go with my mom so I went on the streets. But it’s better with her than on the street. But I gotta get out. You know, gotta leave there.”
“Well, financial aid will often help pay for living costs, it’s meager but you may be eligble for more, you can get a work study job and make a little extra money. If we can get you in school we can get you out of there. It’s going to take work and patience. You have to be patient.”
“What drugs are you doing? Be honest with me, I am not going to tell anyone or judge you, I just have to know what we are battling.”
“Weed, I swear that it. I smoke a little pot. Look, you know I ain’t a bad kid. I just need a little guidance, that’s what I need. Guidance.”
