When you volunteer at a school, there isn’t a manual.
There is no data that forecasts how much you’re going to care about the kids, what it feels like when they graduate and some disappear from the community.
How you may want to step in when a student is neglected or experiencing abuse of any kind. How proud you’ll be when a student succeeds.
How their happiness is shared and explodes like graffiti energizing the whole sideline. How it feels to have a team line up to give the photographer a hug before the last game taking the photographer by surprise. While a Coach says, “Guys, what are you doing, hurry up, you can hug Miss Joy later….”
How hard it is when any of the athletes are hurting.
How devastating it is when their senior seasons are cut short by injury.
Luis and Andres it has been my privilege to share the sidelines with both of you these last few years. Know that all of us who care about you as people, not just student athletes, wish you speedy recoveries and thank you for the hard work you put into in order to drive our teams to victories on our fields.
We’re always cheering for you, now and all the days after.