Evelyn

Have you ever been situated in a room full of people you don't know and you just wonder what their story is? How did they get to be in this exact room that you occupy? I have found myself wondering this every day here at Induction. This room full of people who have traveled from all over the country in order to share their story; not only with one another, but to their future students, in hopes that they can make a difference. Every day I hear another inspiring story. Generally it's from a student who has experience with a corps member as one of their teachers, however, today was different because I heard the story from my suite mate, Evelyn.

Evelyn's mother, Martha, was born in Columbia and had illegally entered the United States by lying to the government about being married to Evelyn's godfather. When Evelyn was born, her mother had nothing. She worked during the day cleaning numerous houses, and at night she was a coat-checker in the city. Two years after her birth, Evelyn's father was murdered, and her mother just fell apart. She sent Evelyn back to Columbia to live with her Aunt in order to protect her baby and provide her with a better childhood. Alone in New York, Martha worked relentlessly so she could send money back to Columbia. Evelyn tells me that she remembers coming to the United States for vacation. She would have to wake up at 6am to go clean houses with her mother, and at night, she would stick along her mom at work. Martha actually carried blankets and would make Evelyn a little bed underneath the coats in the closet while she worked until 3am. In the wee hours of the morning, they had to run to the train in order to make it home for just a few hours of sleep. If they missed the train, which they often did, they had to sleep wherever they could find safety.

When Evelyn was seven years old she moved back to the United States to live with her mom. She didn't speak any English, but was excited to go to school to one day become a "doctor" or a "scientist". While growing up outside of New York City, Evelyn didn't have much. Her teachers actually gave her their hand-me-downs in order for other students not to notice that she had no clothes. Evelyn told me that she remembers when Ugg boots and Coach purses were so popular, but she could never even think to afford such things. When it was time to start thinking about college, it was never an option in her mind not to attend. She always knew she wanted to go to college and she reminded her mother all the time that she would be going. She tells me that she often saw her mother crying but she never understood why until now; her mother never had the heart to tell her that she couldn't provide a college education for Evelyn. Evelyn's school teachers and guidance counselor encouraged her to apply for colleges. One of her teachers actually paid for Evelyn's college application fees and for her to take multiple AP classes (about $85/each) in order to better her college chances. They provided her with the resources she needed about financial aid, and she truly realized it was possible for her to go to college.

Evelyn received funding for her college education and graduated in May. She told me how proud her mother was of her, and that was one of the happiest moments in her life. Evelyn said that her mother would not stop hugging her; she even went to bed graduation night and her mother still would not stop hugging her! "You did it! You really did it!" her mother kept repeating. Evelyn told me that her mother threw her a big graduation celebration and that she received congratulatory money for her recent accomplishment. And guess what the first thing she bought was? A Coach purse! She says she never had something so nice and she always dreamed of having an expensive purse.

I know people like Evelyn are the teachers who will change the world. She will transfer her life story onto her students and make it known that they WILL go to college and make a wonderful life for themselves.

Sometimes when I sit next to these people with heartbreaking, yet inspiring stories, I feel like I am too blessed; Like I have truly had it too easy. I know that I won't be able to connect with my students on some levels, but I do think that my compassion will shine. My heart flutters when envisioning the difference I can make in my students' lives. I will be just like Evelyn's teachers and counselor, providing my students with clothes on their back, food in their tummies, and relentless support.

I teach for people like Evelyn, who inspire me to never take the little things in life for granted.