Share Your Heart

Hello!

I have been struggling this week. Tuesday was College Signing Day, which was a great way to celebrate all the kids going to college in the fall. I love a good First Lady initiative, and seeing Mrs. Obama get so pumped was certainly a highlight. I also got to wear an Emory University shirt in my favorite color purple. But I was also thinkng a lot about a statistic I learned about recently. Only 5% of kids living in poverty in New Orleans will graduate from a four year college. Of the 60 fourth graders I work with every single day, that would mean only 3 of them graduate. And it's not like the other 57 don't dream of jobs that require college educations. For the most part, they are all working hard for the idea that they'll go to college one day. That they'll use what they learn in college to find jobs they are passionate about. Even the boys who want to be professional basketball players know they want to play for a college team first. And so I have really struggled with the juxtaposition of those two ideas. I have faith that the work I am doing and the work of others around me makes a difference. I know there are a lot of dedicated people working day in and day out to give kids the opportunities to pursue whatever they dream. And I know that even when the struggles are big, and they weigh on my heart, I have to keep sharing my love with my kids. That love and commitment is going to make a difference to them, one heart at a time. -Megan