Alex's Story
Story written by Mission WV Bridge Program Mentor
Names of students changed to protect their identity.
Just before Spring Break, someone from the counselor's office came and asked me if I would work with a student who was in foster care, had failed his freshman year, and was in danger of failing this year too. He was not doing any assignments, wasn't attending school, and his behavior made him find himself in detention quite often. In this story, we will call him Alex.
Alex had failed all his classes in the first semester of school, and he conceivably would be placed into a new foster home. I went over the plan his counselor, and I had made. If Alex could bring his grades up during the second semester, he could complete virtual classes to make up the 1st-semester credits and be back on track for graduation. Alex told me he was on board and would do the work. I visited all his teachers and gathered assignments for him to complete over Spring Break. When we returned to school after the break, Alex had completed all the assignments. At this point, I wanted to see how The Bridge Program could fill gaps and break barriers for this student.
Alex has perfect attendance and has worked hard every day since our initial visit. Within the first week, he came to see me and asked for a printout of his grades. Alex would leave his name on my whiteboard if I no in my room. He said, "I knew I finally had someone to help me when you told me if I did the work over break, you would work with me when we got back to school." Alex has done a complete turnaround. He has put in the work. He is coming to school and staying out of trouble! Alex's grades went from straight Fs the 1st semester to As and Bs the 2nd semester.
Our students recently began semester testing. After talking to some teachers, Alex came to me and told me that he realized it would be impossible for him to get his credits for the year because of the first semester's low grades. He had decided there was no need to take the semester tests and that he would have to complete credit recovery next year. I spoke with him and told him that giving up shouldn't be an option. I told him he should at least try his best and let his teachers know he was giving it his all. If he didn't test, there was no way his teachers would pass him, but if he continued to show up, work by doing the semester tests, and show his teachers he was trying, he may pass and get his ½ credits for the year. He decided to go ahead and test. He passed all of them with As and Bs, giving him a good enough grade to earn his credits. I was so proud of him for deciding to test. He would not have taken it without having a mentor to guide him and help him understand how his decision would/could affect him.
During the last week of school, Alex was told he had not completed the four virtual classes on his schedule for this year from his previous credit recovery. He was not aware he had been enrolled in any virtual classes since he did not have a virtual class on his daily schedule. Alex was very upset but handled this situation very well. I was delighted to see the change in how he handled himself. I told him to log in and start working, and we would see how far he could get, but if he didn't finish, he could work over the summer and finish it. Alex worked all day for four days in school and in the evenings at home to finish classes that should have taken him an entire semester to complete. He is now on target for graduation with his class with no credit recovery classes left from his freshman year. I am not the only person who has seen the changes in him. Teachers, staff, and administration have all come to me and told me they had noticed changes as well. I am excited to see what the future holds for this young man.
Staff: "I have to brag about Alex. He finished his history course by lunch. He asked for the other freshman course, and is 40% complete already. He has one more, and if he finishes it by Friday, which I think he can, he will be caught up from his freshman year."
Mentor: "I know he still has his defenses up and many walls we have to work around, but I am proud of him for trying and wanting to catch up."
Staff: "We know he is defensive because of the life he's lived.
I think that can get better for him now that he realizes he has people wanting to help him."
Mentor: "You're exactly right."
Staff: "He is lucky to have the Bridge Program to help him."
