It's powerful how one person can change another's life. The power of words followed through with actions, it shows that we do need each other; to help grow as an individual and a group/community. Giving a little more love to children, especially the ones that are visible of struggling in some way, can help encourage to the right path.Ones who struggle just want to know that one does matter and are worth something. They are our future. This type of behavior happens during the teenage years when hormones are raging out of control that feelings and emotions becomes overwhelming and don't know what to do. Without the support through this stage for whatever the reason may be, one gives up on oneself and becomes angry. One begins to do inappropriate things that catches other peoples attention. One can start using drugs because it numbs the pain and/or makes the thoughts go away, although sometimes it can backfire and create more rage. It's just like the phrase "misery loves company". On the flip side, if there is someone that sticks around, it helps clear the path to one's goal or passion, no matter what happens outside of class. It may even encourage one to be more involved in school and turn that time working on oneself or others. School should always be a safe zone for students. The more involvement in school, the more they learn about themselves and know they can make a difference.
This brings back memories and takes me back when I was in high school. I tried to be involved in school by joining in a club called, "Club Vogue" and was in choir since middle school. I was taken away from this to watch my little brother and cousins after school during the week. This was my outlet from home and school during hours of operation. Eventually I felt trapped so I started skipping school to go to the mall or S.F. with some of my friends or boyfriend(s). As time went on, I would run away from home and be gone for days at a time which turned into weeks. During those weeks when I wasn't home, I was out getting high on different types of drugs. Fast forward, I got clean, went back to school and my first semester here changed my life. What did it was when my instructors made it mandatory to meet with them two times in the semester. I learned many things about myself and created friendships. I heard it's up to the students to make the initiative to make the appointments to talk with instructors but I have noticed that the ones that make students do it are the ones that are more involved in school and you can tell that's their passion. The passion they have rubs off, only if one is willing to meet halfway.
It makes me mad how education as a whole has dropped over the years. During the depression, teachers should have been the last to get cut. I remember when I was a kid and went to school, I took a school bus to school and back home, the whole K-12, now one has to take the city bus. All schools in the city were open from all the kids that attended. Now at least half of the schools are closed, leaving teachers with 30-40 students, I remember 20. Basically Educational system is totally screwed up. Maybe the reason why teachers now days act the way they do is because they're stressed out and pissed off they have to work how many part time jobs commuting from one end of the bay area to the other. I do commend the ones that have the passion and is still burning within and making that extra effort to watch their students grow. If only all teachers would be like this, more so now than ever. Poverty has grown over the last couple decades in a lot a of cities throughout. Hopefully these students now come back and help the community into which they were from. It's needed everywhere, especially Oakland. And I believe that when money is there, we as a county should help them to improve the their city and give their kids the education they deserve. Everyone should be given the same opportunity, no more, no less. But in reality, it's not like that.We need more people like Andrade to speak and travel through different schools and spread the word because it is much needed.
1. What is the capacity of the program he is running and is there other programs similar to his in Oakland?
2. What ways does the medical community provide assistance for urban youth for CPTSD?
3. What ways would it be beneficial for urban youth to be relocated in environments better suited for their academic and personal lives (in comparison to East Oakland)?
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