Earlier this year, I unearthed an unlikely connection with one of my middle school students. I was introducing myself to different students during middle school lunch one day when a student asked me if I used to teach at Brays Oaks. I told her I taught 8th grade Science at Brays Oaks six years ago and was the High School Dean of Students for five years. That’s when she dropped the bombshell on me!
“One of your old students was my teacher at Breakthrough Houston this past summer!” this student shared. She revealed that his name was Mr. Garcia. That’s when I realized her teacher was Over Garcia, YES Prep Brays Oaks Class of 2016 alum. I taught Over when he was in 8th grade and saw him grow into an amazing young man over the course of his high school career.
I was very interested to hear about Over’s performance as a teacher with Breakthrough Houston this summer! I asked her about Over’s (Mr. Garcia to her…) teaching style and was proud of what I heard.
She told me that, “Mr. Garcia was a really good teacher and very strict. I learned a lot from him and really liked learning from him this summer”. We spoke a little bit more about that summer and she continued to share great things about Over (Mr. Garcia).
It’s moments like these that shed light on an educator’s true legacy. The work we do each day is a means to an end. It’s not just about a student and what s/he can accomplish that day or that year. We work with our students to get them just a little bit more prepared and ready to face what life throws them. Intermixed with the content we teach, we also work to leave lessons with them that can help them become leaders in their communities. Talking to this student let me know that the teachers at YES Prep Brays Oaks and I had done our job with Over. I had never met the student before, and yet I was able to influence her life through my former student without even knowing it. It’s moments like these that push me to be intentional with my relationships and interactions with students.
I’m excited to continue to see my former students grow and develop into amazing men and women in their communities. I also look forward to the day when one of my former students becomes a teacher at YES Prep Gulfton!
(The above image is of Over and myself at the end of his Senior year of high school)
