The importance of human connection

Some might say my journey to discovering City Year and my passion for working in education was an unconventional one. In college, I had the opportunity to intern with a correctional officer at the Hampshire County Jail. I got this internship because I was trying to become a coroner and my mentor said that this opportunity would be a good way to make connections in the field. At the jail there was a GED program for prisoners to continue their education. I frequently attended the program and had the unique opportunity to hear life stories of participating prisoners, including their varied experiences with our education system.  In each story, there were moments of struggle, trauma, and inequity that lead them to drop out of school, but each of these stories also highlighted the importance of human connection. Each story recounted the experiences of an important teacher or a mentor that they connected with and still think of fondly.   

“Each story recounted the experiences of an important teacher or a mentor that they connected with and still think of fondly.”

This experience learning about inequities in the education system was one of the driving forces that influenced me to sign up to serve a year with City Year Greater Boston. From 2017-2019 I served at the English High School in Jamaica Plain as a math and science AmeriCorps member and a Team Leader. While serving, I worked with over 100 students, but there was one student in particular that truly motivated me to be the best version of myself every day. This student let’s call him Ace, * was repeating 9th grade math for the 3rd time, so my partner teacher asked me to see if I could help him through the year. 

For months this student did not speak a single word to me, but every day during math class I would sit next to him and push him to get his work done. One day a few of Ace’s friends let me know that he was a huge baseball fan and is on the baseball team, so I decided to leverage that in hopes of breaking through to him. I came into the class and sat next to him and jokingly said, “Hey I heard you are a benchwarmer on the baseball team!” He immediately sprung up and said, “Woah, miss who is lying to you like that?” And just like that after nearly 2 months of never hearing this student speak, he spoke! I told him there was no going back now and from there our relationship grew.  

Some days were harder than others but there was progress being made, and Ace’s confidence grew. A few months later I pulled Ace out of class to take a test. He finished and asked if I could grade it right then and there. He got an A on the exam. Ace immediately whipped out his phone, so I stopped him and reminded him we don’t use our phones in class. He responded, “I want to call my mom! This is the first time I have ever gotten an A on a math test.” With tears in my eyes, I caved and let him call his mom. Over the next year and half, I got to create so many more memories like this with Ace.  I went to his baseball games, got to meet his mom and sister, and saw him achieve so many milestones in his high school career. After I left City Year and became a teacher, I got to continue being a part of these moments like writing his letter of recommendation for college (which he got into) and seeing him graduate. 

“I want to call my mom! This is the first time I have ever gotten an A on a math test.”

While working at the jail introduced me to my passion for education, it was working with City Year that really made it clear for me that I wanted to work towards educational equity as a career. Since then, I served as a teacher and am now back at City Year Greater Boston as an Impact Manager leading young people through their year(s) of service. Something I held with me through it all is remembering the importance of human connection. There is a lot wrong with this world, but I truly believe each person has the ability to make an impact by just showing up and being themselves. Students need this more than ever and that is why I continue to serve with City Year.

*student’s names have been changed for privacy