Making a Difference in MY Community by Jasmyne Black

     Society is always asking for more from the community around people. One of the main questions that is presented is “How Can I Make a Difference in the World?” As soon as we think of making a difference, we think of celebrities and how much money we can give to a certain foundation that we believe is very essential to uplifting the world. We sometimes look beyond the world that is in our very backyard and reach out to places where we have never even been before. There is nothing wrong with that, but why don’t we stop and look at what’s in front of us. Making a difference in the world starts with helping the community around you. So how can I make a difference in my community became the question. Since I would like to be a teacher, making a difference for my community starts with volunteering at schools within the neighborhood we live in.

     By living in the community of St. Petersburg for 18 years of my life, I understand that there are many situations that are out of my control. I realize that there is violence, crime, and poor test scores that don’t help the future generations reach a point of success in life. I questioned a few of my associates that didn’t graduate on time or just plain gave up on high school. I asked them how could somebody have helped them successfully complete high school, since they couldn’t do it on their own? One boy spoke up and said, “If my parents would just act as if they cared about me and disciplined me more, I would have handled my business in school.” These boys live in areas where many people hang on the corner, talk, and watch the day go by. How can I make a difference with this situation? As a future parent, I will need to support my child. I can do whatever it is that they need me to do. This is probably why we are seeing more and more fundamental schools because there are mandatory parent meetings. They want the parents to stay involved in their child’s education. What do you do when a parent doesn’t want to help their child? We can show these children that there is always somebody else they can depend on.

     There was a recent situation in the community at a high school football game. It was rumored that two well-known neighborhood gangs would be out at the game for some sort of feud. The individual that brought it to the schools attention made a difference in their community that night. By making it aware to the school, the school officials slowed tickets sales and made sure that the people involved did not enter into the game that night. Even though the people were still ignorant enough to shoot outside of the school, they weren’t close enough to affect the students. One of those school officials will be me one day. I’m going to become a teacher and can possibly become a principal. Although the situation was outside of the classroom, someone made a difference. They didn’t put any money to the cause either.

     My main passion for making a difference in the community around me is reaching out to my old high school. Gibbs High School has been featured in the newspaper for many things lately. The school was one of the schools that was playing the night of violence outside of their football game. Another recent article from the St. Petersburg Times explained how there is a need for more community and parental involvement. This is another example of how parents and people in general can lend a helping hand. They don’t want money. They just want help! The article presented facts. Gibbs High School was rated an F school by the state, based on primarily reading and mathematics scores from the FCAT. The school is not taking this lightly. Many teachers were removed and sent to other schools because they seemed to not be helping students reach the mark. I remember how much my teachers helped me. If it was based on helping get to college, I’m here. I can honestly say that out of my four years, only a few of my teachers showed compassion. The teachers at this school will tell students how they honestly feel. My pre-calculus teacher used to express to our class, on multiple occasions, how much she’d rather be at another school. I always wanted to ask her, “well why don‘t you just leave?” There was nothing truly stopping her. Gibbs is in a black neighboring community. Most of the students are black and I think that’s why my teacher said what she did say. It wasn’t because she was racist, it was simply because many of the students didn’t have the guidance at home and they didn’t want it from some of the teachers at school. If these teachers had volunteers in their classrooms that were black, I think the classes would function more. The students would probably adapt better to volunteers that look like them.

     Also, it would help greatly if alumni came out and helped at the school as well. By my senior year, it was almost too late for after school help. Teachers rarely made themselves available for tutoring or mentoring after school. They blamed it on them having their own life outside of work. What they failed to realize is, their life outside of work is still their students. Their students work at most of the places they shop and eat at. They live in the same neighborhoods. So why not just give that help that a student needs? I worked as a volunteer at an elementary school and they appreciated me so much. With a little bit of help with reading, spelling words, or a simple math problem, they were able to past their tests. The same can be done at Gibbs High School.

     Another issue is how can we get more people to want to help? It's hard. Maybe we need to just take a survey on how we can get each person to some what mentor a student? What does it take? Just think. Does it take a countywide survey? Like I've said before, these kids need our help. Just think of all the help we have received through out the many years of life. It took a lot of time, motivation, and support from people around us.

     In conclusion, I will find myself back at Gibbs to lend that extra hand. Like the old saying, “it takes a village to raise a child.” I want to become apart of that village that is helping our future generations. Once we can start helping on our own, more and more people will come to the cause. Volunteering and eventually teaching, will shape the lives of our community. Crime and violence will always be present in the world, but success will be a goal that is greatly attainable to the eyes of the students.

Works Cited

Thalji, Jamal. "School was warned before shots outside Lakewood-Gibbs game" St. Petersburg Times 8 Sept.

2010: Print.

Catalanello, Rebecca. "Gibbs, Pinellas' only F-rated high school, seeks more parental, community

involvement" St. Petersburg Times 7 Sept. 2010: Print.