Miss Baltimore: Day 1

I walk into Holabird Academy donned in my crown and sash, feeling immense pride as I strut my stuff into the main office. The support and love from my Holabird family was unbelievable, and I was still floating on cloud nine. As I walk into my classroom with my morning coffee and copies for the day, I see KW and her mother standing there. They were fifteen minutes early that Monday morning, and KW's mother seemed to have something on her mind.

 KW is one of my newer students who came to me about halfway through the year, but she is an exceptional little girl who is catching up very fast. I have no doubt she'll be prepared for first grade if she continues to work as hard as she's been doing. When I see KW, I immediately put my tiara on top of her little head and she honestly wears it with more grace than I do. As she struts her stuff around the classroom, her mother asks me how she's been doing in class. I tell her that she's been fine, even though she admittedly is below grade level I believe she'll be able to catch up in no time.

KW's mother still looks troubled, and I think to myself that there must be something else she wants to mention to me. I ask if she wants to talk in private, and we step outside of the classroom as KW gets started on writing about her weekend in her journal. KW's mother asks specifically about how her behavior has been in class, and I tell her that she actually is one of the most well-behaved kids in my class and is constantly rewarded for that. Her mother, relieved, then says, "Well, I've just been worried about her since her father passed away two weeks ago. That's why she's only missed that one day of school the day after Valentine's Day. He committed suicide. Hung himself, and left me with five children. Every day KWwalks past his grave on the way to school and asks if she can visit Daddy, and I've just been worried if she says anything about it at recess when you're outside since he's buried right across the street..."

I reassure her that her daughter is an angel and light in my life, and that there is nothing she needs to worry about on this end. I ask if there's anything I can do, and KW's mother shares with me that she can't help but continue to ask herself what she could have done differently, and how on earth could someone abandon a little girl as precious as KW.

I look down at my new "Miss Baltimore" sash and glance into my classroom at the brilliant child with a sparkly tiara atop her head. Reality sets in, and I realize that this is my first memory as Miss Baltimore. This is the reason I am here. This is the place I am meant to be.

I believe God sends me signs like this to clearly remind me of my purpose on this earth. He knows I'm stubborn...and it takes an obvious moment such as this to communicate WHY I am where I am today. I've dedicated myself to making transformational change in the lives of children my life's work.

When the bell rang to start the morning, I asked KW if she'd be willing to share the crown with her classmates. As each exceptional child walked through the doorway that morning, I put that crown on top of his/her head and told them that THEY were the reason I loved Baltimore and that this crown belonged to THEM.