During my second day at the KIPP School I was able to share both Pride Time and lunchtime with the sixth graders, and although I enjoyed grading papers and tracking the students, getting to know them on a more intimate level, as more than just a name, was such a great experience. The students are very welcoming and wanted to know everything about me from what I liked to study to what my favorite type of music is, leaving me with little time to get to know much about them. Although the majority of our conversation was filled with questions about the University of Maryland, I was able to learn the most important ingredient it takes to make a KIPP student, hard work. Something that has stuck with me since our first day here was when one of the students told us, “Everything that we have, we have earned.” Coming from a very privileged background, I was very moved by this statement because most students I have encountered in my life seem to take education and opportunity for granted. The KIPP students, even at the sixth grade level, are so eager to learn and cannot wait to go to college. Over half of the students know what they want to study in college and even more than that know exactly where they are going to apply. This driven attitude has really given me hope for the future. Since I first met the students I have felt confidant that they will make a difference in the world. While sitting at the lunch table, today, a few of the sixth graders were asking me if the career they wanted to pursue was a good one and wanted to know if pursuing that career would help them make a difference in the world. With a smile I told them that as long as they pursue things with a kind heart and a straight mind that they will only do good for those around them. The students smiled in response to my answer and proceeded to ask me more questions about the entire college experience.
The KIPP students have a certain drive about them that seems almost unexplainable and made me want to ask if there was something in the water that they were drinking, until I attended a faculty meeting today in the middle school. The KIPP teachers are just as extraordinary as their students. This group of teachers is very proactive, supportive, and fun to be around. The KIPP students and their teachers share such a close bond and with a very experienced staff it is obvious that these students see their teachers as great role models. I have noticed that the passion and drive that the teachers have is contagious and it seems as though the KIPP students have caught it. With school days that begin at 7:30am and that end at 5pm these students work harder than most adults that I know and although they often get tired throughout the day they seem to continually work through it with the support of their teachers and their peers. Wiggling their fingers at one another and “sending love” to show support and appreciation is something that both the teachers and students are constantly doing throughout the day to show that they notice each others hard work and effort. Everyone at the KIPP School has been extremely welcoming and I have learned so much from them already. Being in North Carolina and working at the KIPP School has been an amazing experience so far and I cannot wait to experience the remainder of the trip.
Gooo Ravens!!!
-Bridget
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