September 2008 Freewrite: Devon Who?

This story concerns one of my favorite students whom I blogged about before under Success Story.

One of my favorite students, Devon, has been promoted from the 7th grade to the 9th grade. I was so excited to see him when I began at my new school. I asked him what he was doing at the High School and he replied, “I go to school here.” He proceeded to tell me that he had taken his tests over the summer to put him in his right grade. I was so excited when Devon returned to a regular classroom setting. I had been checking on him all last year. I told him that I was proud of him for not getting into trouble in regular school and to stay out of trouble at the High School. He said he would and we went our separate ways.

Three days later during the madness of the beginning of school, I saw Devon wobbling down the hall headed to my class. He had that same smile and humor about him that I have grown fond of over the last year. He couldn’t wait to tell me that he was trying out for the football team and how excited he was to be at the High School. I just felt so proud of him for coming such a long way.

It is almost amazing to see how Devon transformed over the course of a year. He is more confident now in a class with peers his own age. He is one of my best helpers in the class. He answers questions and participates actively in class. I can’t express how perplexing this new behavior is for me. Devon used to sit in my class bored, trying to disrupt class. He used to just say, “If I don’t want to do nothing, then just leave me alone.” He was my child to stated, “The ONLY reason I come to school is so my mama won’t go to jail.” Just thinking about how he used to be as compared to how he is now almost makes me get a little emotional, which is totally out of my character.

I just feel that Devon is one of those students who can make it, with the right encouragement. I am still concerned about Devon’s home life though. He not with his mother anymore; however he stays with his older brother and his family while his stepmother has custody of him. I don’t know if his life became better or worse; however, I do know that he is improving in school.

For the first time in a long time, Devon is playing football and seems to be very good at it. He is a healthy boy and probably one of the largest on the team. He is so fast though-I’ve seen him run from a security guard at the school. I just think High School is the change that Devon needed, and I am so proud of him and cannot wait to see the great things he will do this year!