Jamel
“To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.” – Anonymous
Many of us have fond memories of inspirational teachers who, through encouragement and example, profoundly shaped the course of our lives. This month’s Success Story is about more than the achievements of a student; it’s also about the extraordinary kindness and persistence of a teacher. Jamel came to Eliada with a long history of problems in academic and social settings. “Since Fifth Grade he had not attended a regular school,” says his mother. He did not participate in school classes, didn’t do homework, and had tremendous issues with respect and following instructions. At first, it looked as if his experience at Eliada would be fraught with the same challenges that had comprised his success in other placements. Then, he found Kristy Eubanks and the National Youth Project Using Minibikes (NYPUM).
NYPUM is a national program sponsored by Honda that rewards positive choices with the opportunity to ride a minibike. Students earn the chance to participate by completing 21 classes in minibike safety and maintenance, and by making progress on academic and behavioral goals set by their parents and teachers. The daughter of an educator, Kristy is a nationally certified NYPUM educator who heads Eliada’s division of the program.
According to Kristy, Jamel caught on quickly. “He stuck with NYPUM because he loves to ride minibikes. Slowly, I started seeing amazing changes in Jamel as he began to meet and exceed his individual success plan goals.” These goals included completing homework, maintaining grades, and behavioral progress. The NYPUM program includes a mentoring component, and as Jamel progressed he found he enjoyed sharing his knowledge and experience with younger students.
Thanks in large part to NYPUM and Kristy, Jamel re-entered public school last February. His mother reports that he is “thriving with his peers and his teachers,” and that he “has completely changed.” He still comes to Eliada twice a week to help Kristy with NYPUM classes, and he loves being a role model for smaller children. Kristy continues to check with his teachers and mother every week and remains actively involved in Jamel’s life. She says she feels blessed to have been a part of Jamel’s life, and is excited to see what his future holds.
When asked what made the biggest difference for him, Jamel shyly looked at Kristy. “Her,” he says. Never to miss a teaching moment, Kristy smiled and said: “Sit up straight, Jamel. Don’t slouch.”
Thanks for reading our October Success Story!