Dear Editor:
A girl stands before a sea of her 10 to 14-year-old peers. She is shaking and weary from her nerves. She stands in silence with the spotlights on her, the back drop the only colour on the stage, as she stares back at the many eyes on her and she is frozen. She cannot find the words. She begins to cry.
Students begin to call her name, encouraging her, trying to convince her she can do it. Her teacher hugs her tight. A lone voice from the back of the crowd begins to sing her song for her. Slowly the girl begins to sing. The crowd cheers. She stops again and another voice calls out, "It's OK! We can help you sing!" Her friend begins to sing again until the girl finds her voice again and then she sings . with her heart before her voice as if thanking her peers. Her mother looks on, unable to hold back her tears.The gym erupts into cheers and she receives a standing ovation.
These moments are the reason I teach. It is my faith in our youth and this journey my colleagues and I are on to help these youth find their best possible 'me'. It is our staff, the kids, their parents, which make our village. This is why I love my school. For those of you who think that Pink Day couldn't possibly make a difference . come to my school. Today made a difference for 250 kids, for a lifetime, who got to be a part of this culture. It's working!
Patricia Pain, teacher, Queensborough Middle School
