Institute Gives Kids Confidence
By Rob Novit, Aiken Standard, S.C.
Jun. 14–Four rising Aiken High School sophomores admitted they never would have spoken in public to a group of more than 50 educators a year ago.
But they volunteered for that opportunity Friday, addressing teachers and support personnel at the annual Summer Institute program.
The students — Brittney Thomas, Casey Sime, Devon Johnson and Xavier Jones — participated in Sally Tice’s peer mediation class during the past year in collaboration with retired South Aiken High School teacher Cathy Carlyle.
Coordinated by Public Education Partners, the five-day Summer Institute brought in social service agencies to help the educators identify at-risk behaviors in their students and, just as critically, inform them about community resources to help the children and their families.
Thomas readily admitted she had problems earlier in school but now feels good about herself. She is looking forward to helping other students resolve conflicts in a non-confrontational way.
“I would tell the teachers here that there can be more to a child than picking up a book and learning,” she said. “There are other problems he might have in his life. Teachers need to communicate with their students. A one-on-one opportunity can be important to the children.”
Netta Walsh, a former teacher at South Aiken and Kennedy Middle School, now works with teenage dropouts at the S.C. National Guard’s Youth ChalleNGe Academy at Camp Long. Those students are working on their GED or diplomas, and, for many of them, this might be their last chance to turn their lives around.
“Summer Institute was the best experience for providing information about at-risk students that I’ve ever experienced in the public schools,” Walsh said. “This gives you so many resources to turn to when you have troubled kids … This program should be required for all teachers.”
Greendale Elementary School assistant principal Kathy Freeman was joined at Summer Institute by four Greendale teachers — Carolyn Holston, Amy Edwards, Barbara Rector and Diane Mabe.
“We have a Title I school and some high-risk students,” said Holston. “We wanted to do this so we can reach children as early as possible.”
Carlyle described her own troubled childhood, growing up with abusive, alcoholic parents and spending several years at the Thornwell residential facility. It was crucial that she got early support from a pastor and his wife and two teachers in the Edgefield school system.
“Respect isn’t something I can demand (of students),” she said. “It’s something I earn. If I want to get respect from them, I have to give it to them, too.”
Contact Rob Novit
at rnovit@aikenstandard.com.
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