On our first day back from Spring Break at Evers Park Elementary in Denton, TX, Ethan was feeling a little blue. He was frustrated to attend the Communities In Schools Afterschool Center on Education (ACE) program. He was frustrated because he was acting in a “disappointing” manner to me.
I have known Ethan, a first grader, for a couple of years, and I have learned how to help him turn a sad day into a happier day. There are times when we just desire for someone to listen to us, or just play with us in moments where we feel a little blue. Today, Ethan just needed a few minutes to express his frustration about homework. While it took a lot of convincing and waiting on my end, Ethan was able to complete his homework.
However, that is not what this success story is about. It goes much deeper. Sometimes, friends are the best counselors. Tyrese, a fifth grader, has been in CIS ACE for 3 years, and he is such a joy to have in my program. He knows about struggling to find motivation to do homework, but he also knows how to persevere.
Ethan needed to finish his reading, and Tyrese decided that they should build a reading fort and read inside their fort. This motivated Ethan to complete his homework, but it also changed his entire attitude. He went from sulking and refusing to do his homework to smiles and giggles with Tyrese. Not only did Ethan choose to have a better day, but he chose to show kindness by helping another student with the same homework he had done earlier.
Sometimes, we just need someone to take our minds of things and counsel us by setting an example. I am so proud of how well Tyrese for taking a leadership role and provide a positive way to help Ethan. I’m also happy to see Tyrese and Ethan work together and complete a task while having fun!
