“I volunteered to do some teaching in a juvenile detention center in Hemphill County one summer. That was a real eye-opener, going behind locked doors to work with those kids. The youngest was 11 or 12 and the oldest was 17. They were in there … Continue readingTeacher’s ‘calling’ extends to incarcerated youth
“Galveston Urban Ministries is a nonprofit where we work to empower. We help people in the North Broadway neighborhood, which is the lowest income neighborhood in Galveston. The average income is between like $7,000 and $16,000 a year. We want to help them figure out … Continue readingUrban ministry empowers Galveston residents
Jennifer Nerf directs a program that provides tools to help students with high-functioning pervasive developmental disorders, including autism, social communication disorder, anxiety disorder and other related challenges. Related: Teacher offers understanding, guidance to students Life’s curves can’t stop special education teacher
“I’m a school bus driver. I’ve been doing it for eight years. It’s super interesting, but we need to have a lot of patience with the kids. They fight, they play, they run in the bus, they scream. They do everything. “A few years ago, … Continue readingSchool bus driver learns the meaning of patience
“I lived in California most all of my life, but my family’s roots are in the South. Back in the 1950s, my great aunt and other black students were traveling over 20 miles to school every day when there was another school much closer. My … Continue readingHis great aunt fought segregation in the South
“Our school systems are very good at helping and knowing how to educate the middle class and upper middle class. But we struggle with those coming from lower socioeconomic levels. “They often start school with major gaps. Trying to catch them up can be really … Continue readingThey’re working to fill those education gaps
“I’m going back to school to become a bilingual teacher so I can work with younger kids. “We speak English with our daughter. But my mom only speaks Spanish, and I grew up initially only knowing Spanish because I was around her while my dad … Continue readingShe hopes to ease transition for bilingual students
“I try to tell students that the world is not just what you see in your local area. The world is everything. “If you have a skill, that skill is needed somewhere in the world. It’s not just needed where you are, so be open … Continue readingSkills can take students anywhere in the world
“I’m a firm believer that if you don’t love kids, you shouldn’t be teaching. There are times when they’re going to test you. But if you work from that basis, you can kind of overlook all those things and use your energy to find ways … Continue reading‘If you don’t love kids, you shouldn’t be teaching’
“I’m part of the PALS program at Lee High School. We help out in the community with mini-service projects. “Every week we have assigned schools that we go to. We mentor kids from elementary schools to middle schools. You get to meet and connect with … Continue readingHe enjoys serving as role model for young students