Reasons To Be - In Memory of Jimmy Watts

It was after church service and I was 10 years old. There I sat writing my name on the sign-up sheet in blue ink, not knowing that this decision would change my life forever. My church had been advertising a summer-volunteering-sleepaway camp in a city just 30 minutes away from me. The city, Belle Glade, is positioned as the furthest west city in my county. It’s the 2nd most impoverished city in Florida. And yet, like a cruel joke, it’s juxtaposed within the same county as the richest city in Florida, Palm Beach. During my time at camp, we ate good food, played games, and sang beautiful worship songs. But, nothing impacted me more than the experience of working with others for the betterment of the community. During my 4 day stint as a volunteer, I realized my privilege. But, this was more than just a realization. I knew that those with privilege were called to help those less fortunate than them (Proverbs 19:17). So, I was determined to serve again. My church had a Life Academy Program in Belle Glade. This was a program that was held after-school on weekdays for academic help, but Saturdays were a time for spiritual enrichment and recreation! My mom, my sister, and I began going out every Saturday to volunteer with the children. We were committed. It was very rare that we missed a Saturday. My mom even drove the van to bring out other volunteers! Though I was around the same age as some of the children, I still tried my hardest to help out. One of my most cherished memories from my time here was all of the volunteers and children coming together to read John 13:1-19, where Jesus washes His disciples' feet. After this, we came together to wash the children’s feet, a way to signify our servanthood. I left that Saturday afternoon feeling humbled, but not at all in a negative way. I knew that I wanted to live the rest of my life serving others. I served in Belle Glade on Saturdays for 4 years. Sadly, there is no longer a program on Saturdays, but I’ve made sure to volunteer during the past summers and Thanksgiving dinners. Spending my time there opened my eyes to the often harsh reality faced by those in poverty. What struck me as the most devastating was the disparity in education, specifically the literacy rate. Many of the children across all grades could not read. Neither could their parents. Or their grandparents! The generational cycle of illiteracy saddened my heart, and I could not fathom how much harder it made existence. Education had always been emphasized in my life, but it wasn’t until my last few Belle Glade Saturdays that I had decided that I wanted to work in education. I understood that positively impacting even one student could be a catalyst for change in a community. Fast forward to now, and I have been working as a 1st grade Co-Teacher in an environment quite similar to Belle Glade since August. While in this role I’ve seen firsthand the power of receiving a good education. I have had the privilege of seeing my students grow, not only academically, but also in their confidence and personality! It is truly beautiful to witness. I’m incredibly excited to have my own classroom someday soon. My experiences in Belle Glade revealed to me a truth: Education has the potential to uplift or degrade. This truth is a driving force for me, as I am determined to use education as a tool to uplift.