*Jalil on his last day of middle school 2007Friday was the last day of school for both of the boys. Since Jalil had got his exams done earlier in the day, we asked if he could get out of school early so he could go watch their cousin graduate. After the graduation, we all (minus Okoye...he had a French final exam he couldnt get out of or move around) planned on going out to eat and then stopping by the boys old elementary school.
The reason we wanted to stop by was we had heard that the principal, which was the same principal the boys had when they were enrolled there, was retiring. The boys LOVED this elementary school. LOVED.IT. And I did, too. When you drop your kids off anywhere but especially school, and you have no qualms about their safety or education, you know you are blessed.
Soon as we got to the school, Jalil jumped out and was gone. By the time I got to the office, I didnt see no part of Jalil anywhere. I tapped on the little partion window to the office and the receptionist turned around and gave this huge grin. I whispered to her 'Do you remember me?'. She let out a loud laugh, clapped her hands and said 'Of course I do! Who could forget the Washington family! GET IN HERE!"
I walked around to the doorway and walked in. While we were talking Mrs Haerble, the principal, came out of her back office, talking to someone. I stood quietly and waited for her to finish and when she did she looked up at me and her mouth dropped open. 'Oh my God!!! What are YOU doing here!' and she quickly grabbed me and pulled me into her for a tight hug. I felt the tears coming but I refused to let them fall. You see, Mrs Haerble was the teacher who went to bat for us for SO many thngs. She made it so that whatever Jalil needed for his curriculum would be part of the EVERYDAY classroom (when things couldnt be approved or didnt go with the guidelines she had the teacher put it as part of the curriculum for EVERYONE). She actually made it even possible for the boys to go to school since we werent even in that district ( one year...the district had met its quota for transfer students for the year but when my boys came up somehow...they were allowed to go there).
Mrs Haerble is just that kind of principal.
anyway...I told her that we had come up to congratulate on her retirement but I also wanted to tell her thank you. I wanted to thank her for everything she had done for us and that we would always love her. Of course...the tears were flowing then. She...of course was asking where her 'boys' were.
When she seen Jalil she just reached up and grabbed him by the face and said 'Jalil!!! oh my Jalil' and just kept kissing his cheeks over and over again. He laughed and hugged her back and so it began. Once we moved out in the hall...his old teachers and some of Okoye's teachers, recognized us and came over to hug him.
"you are growing up!'
'you are so handsome'
'you are such a good looking young man'
Over and over someone stopped by and to grab him to hug him. AND they said his name right (most people say Juhleel instead JAlil).
Finally he asked where Mrs Bounds was. (Mrs Bounds was the first person, outside of the family, to ever REALLY get him. She loved him in the way that she was his cheerleader but she was also on his butt when he did wrong or he didnt live up to his potential. AND she was his 3rd grade teacher. ) Mrs. Haerble told him she was down the hall so we watched him take off down that way. I seen Mrs Bounds step out of a classroom and she looked down the hallway (away from our direction) and then she looked back the other way (towards us). She did a double take and she said 'Jalil Washington!!!! 'cmere!!!!!!!!!' and they jogged too each other.
(Mrs Bounds has said they every teacher has one...that ONE student that touches them and they remember them, no matter what, their whole teaching career. Jalil was her's. And I believe her. In the deepest part of my heart...I know she loves him like a mother would.)
She was crying. I was crying. Mrs Haerble was crying. It was really like some out of body experience I was witnessing because looking at my son I realized how important acceptance and unconditional love, IS to him. He shined so brightly....he was glowing...he was talking...he was having MULTIPLE conversations. It was a beautiful moment.
When we finally left, we were stopped 3 more times for hugs, but by the last one...as we walked away...I could see his chest heaving. I quietly told him to breathe...breathe...it was okay. But by the time we got to the car he was sobbing. He could not believe that people actually loved him that much. That people like him. He knew they would remember Okoye ( who is larger than life sometimes) but he could not believe that people , who didnt HAVE to love him...did. Deeply. He was shocked that they remember his name let alone say it correctly. And that feeling of acceptance, he felt so much raw emotion from it...it hurt.
so for you teachers in blog land...if you ever feel like you just cant reach a student or you have no impact on a child or that parent...I'm here to tell you...yes...you do. And we are eternally grateful.
