Good things can come from unexpected places

I've been waiting for this moment literally for what seems like the entire year.

Ya see, I have this one student. Well, actually I have many many more than one student, however this one in particular I probably see the most and try to help the most. This student has tons of potential and when he works hard, he gets work done and is able to accomplish his goals. The thing is he doesn't like to work hard every day. His work ethic relies largely on his friends and how they are working in the classroom,  the teachers in his classroom and how excited they appear to be teaching, and lastly his lack in confidence in himself. He ,like many of the other students we serve, has become 100% pleased with reaching meritocracy.  He doesn't feel the need to excel above his peers. He doesn't see the point in doing work for a class if he already has above a C.  He tries to be the funny guy in his classes. 

But...

For some reason when I think I about this year, he will always be the student I remember. He gave me the hardest time, but I'll remember him the most. 

I tried so hard to motivate him to want to excel in school and push himself to do better. I went out of my way to help him with his work. I nagged him to do his homework every week. I encouraged him to talk to teachers he was having trouble with.  I made homemade muffins for our behavior leadership lunches. I still smiled and was kind to him even when he made fun of me in Spanish or mocked how I talked with my hands. I helped him type up a paper when he was slow at typing.  I even made a positive phone call home to his parents when he did well. As I'm thinking about it, I really poured a lot of myself into this kid. And all year I never got a  voluntarily thank you that I didn't have to pry out of him.

 Even at Christmas time all my students wrote me cards and some how he was able to skate by without turning one in.

Then the last couple weeks of school, Lindsay,  the MOST AMAZING TEACHER,  whom I work alongside everyday had the students do a lot of reflections about the end of the year. On Monday I was absent, and she asked them to reflect on how I had been beneficial in the classroom  When they turned their work in this Friday, I was VERY pleasantly surprised to see this from this student, and  it made me very happy!

He could have been rude and made a joke. He could have not done it and not turned it in, but he actually answered it truthfully. It's like he finally gave me the recognition I had been waiting for all year!

It's so strange which people end up standing out to you. There are so many wonderful kids I've met this year. Kids who work well, have big dreams and aspirations,  and I can see greatness in their futures. Then, there are others who need people like city year in their class rooms cheering them on the rest of their lives because they aren't getting support at home.  I'll remember those kids too, but I'll never forget what it's like to give so much of yourself in one year and finally be appreciated by the people you would least expect.