“A Father’” by
Bharati Mukherjee , “Seerving up Hope” by Stephanie Sharpio, “Directions for
Resisting the SAT,” by Richard Hague,
and ““First Practice” by Gary Gildner all express ideas of non conformity and
going against the norm that has been set by those before you. This week we were
not able to visit acts 4 youth because of the outbreak of mumps, but instead we
had a meeting with some of the students that volunteer for the acts 4 youth
program. In this meeting we discussed
some very eye opening facts about where the kids from this program will be
heading after their time at middle and high school. I personally did not know
half of the facts we learned at this meeting. I did not know that in Baltimore
the high school system was so different from where I live. They have the
regular public high schools, but they also have magnet high schools in which
the students have to apply to before hand and have to take placement tests for.
We talked about the different types of students that would be coming out of the
middle schools and where they would all be heading. We ultimately split them
into three categories, the A students, who really enjoyed learning and wanted
to continue their education, the B students who still did well in school but
were most likely to just attend the public high school and possibly decide to
go to college in the future, and the C and below students, who for the most
part would end up either not going to high school or attending the public high
schools for sometime and eventually dropping out. Talking about the different
types of students made us all realize that it doesn’t just depend on the
student them self, there is so much more the impacts how they do in school and
what they decide to do with their lives. We learned how big a part the education
system comes into play with the future of these kids. While there are always
going to be the A students who do well in school, there will still be the C and
lower students. Now this doesn’t mean that these students do not like school
and do not want to get and education, it may the complete opposite, but the
education system does not fit their interests, and they may become bored of
school. They might think to themselves, why would I continue going to school
when nothing that I am interested in is covered in class and what I want to
pursue in life is being shut down by the teachers and they are telling me to
stick to the work that is laid out in front of me? There are many factors that
come into play that impact the future of these kids but I think the poems and
short stories we had to read really give insight to the struggles these
students have to face and how they could change their own lives for the better.
“Directions for
Resisting the SAT,” by Richard Hague really opened my eyes, and I think that it
would be helpful for the students at Acts4Youth to read. I believe that Hague
understands the absurdity of the SAT’s. He knows that it is not fair in any way
to compare the score that one person got to that of another person because no
one is the same. We all have different learning styles and test taking
techniques, so how on earth is the fair the judge others of the same test? There
are just so many things that are wrong with the standardized tests where are
required to take for entry to college and Hague knows this and is telling us to
go against it. In high school the SAT’s seem to rule your life. All you hear is
how important they are and if you want to get into a good school you must do
well on the SAT’s and to put all the time and effort into studying for it. The
kids who may not be the best test takers think to themselves “why should I care
and try to do well on this test if I already know I am going to do poorly?” He
tells us to not take the test because everyone is telling you to. He tells us
“follow no directions, Listen to no one. Make your mark on everything.” Don’t
get stuck in the group “everyone else,” don’t do somethimg because that’s what
everyone else is doing, do it because you and only you wants to do it. What
Hague is telling us here is to not give in to society and do not conform to
what people will try to pound into your head, and I think this is something
that the kids at Acts4Youth could use. I think Hague wants us to do the SAT’s
for ourselves, and no one else. Do it because you believe in yourself and only
because of that.
Gary
Gildner’s “First Practice,” portrays a life that many of the Acts4Youth kids
live. Many of the kids come from single parents homes and face much greater
difficulties than most of the population here at Loyola has ever had to face. Gildner
portrays a very intimidating first day of practice, but for these kids its not
about just a practice, its about their every day situation. We were told a
story about a young 7th grade boy in the Acts4Youth program that is
bullied by some of the other boys he goes to school with. He gets his backpack
and other possession stolen out of his locker, his backpack was urinated on by
these boys as well as his house keys stolen. He was asked why he never goes to
the teachers or administration for help and he explained that it wouldn’t make
a difference, that they wouldn’t help him. The one time he did complain he got
the boys to wash his backpack for him but that was it, he did not get his
belongings returned to him. He has learned that he must deal with these bullies
on his own. This boy lives the Gildner poem. The poem says “ and across the
way, he said, is the man you hate the most,” this is what this young boy must
experience. Everyday he must face the boys who bully him and he knows he must
deal with it on his own because the faculty does nothing to help him. This
young boy is living this intimidating practice every time he has to face the
bullies at school.
In
“A Father,” tradition is broken by his daughter, which leads the father into
extreme rage, and he proceeds to beat his own child but for some breaking
tradition may be the best thing to do. The father in this story is so set on
tradition and the beliefs that he has been raised with that it doe not matter
to him that it is his own daughter he is beating. The boys in Acts4Youth are
lead to break tradition just as the daughter did. Tradition for these some of
these boys may be to drop out of school and go into “pharmaceuticals” as some
people may call it. The hope is for the
students to realize that there is more to what they have been raised around. The
daughter realizes that tradition isn’t everything and there is more to life
than what you have been raised around. For these boys it is so common to see
young people dropping out of school and for many of them they may see that as
an easy path to take as well. Though
sad, staying in school could very well be breaking tradition. What makes this
“tradition” even worse is the how little people expect from these kids. At the meeting
I attended we were told that the Baltimore detention centers calculate the
number of beds they will need by checking the local elementary school and
seeing how many of the fourth graders are still at a second grade reading
level. I compare this news to the father. Both the daughter and the boys at
Acts4Youth are being pushed by the pre-destined path into going somewhere they
may not want to go. The daughter realized that creating her own path was the
best decision for her and hopefully the boys at Acts4Youth will realize that
too.
Stephanie
Sharpiro’s story in “Serving up Hope” is about new beginnings and knowing that
even if you run into obstacles in your life you always have a second shot. The
Dogwood Deli gives back to those who have hit these obstacles in life, whatever
they may be, and help them start over. Acts4Youth
tries to teach their students this importance of giving back. Everyone deserves
a second chance, because everyone makes mistakes. We hope the students will
understand this idea of giving help to those who need it instead of turning
their backs on the people who need it most.
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