Recently, one of our teachers shared a touching story that reminds us of the lasting impact we have on our students:
“I thought I would share that a former student, Joe, reached out to me yesterday. He told me how much he missed Chaddock and all the staff here. He will be turning 18 this summer and looks forward to being an adult.
I share this with you as a reminder that even those really tough kiddos are truly being inspired and positively affected by us. We have really rough days sometimes. Those days when we just feel helpless and completely overwhelmed. However, know that in the future, what we do now will give our students a brighter future and the realization that we were always there for them.
I am proud to work with a group of people who truly care about the children that are in our care. Keep smiling and focusing on the positive! You never know when a Joe will reach out to you and tell you just how much you did for them when you thought you were the last person they wanted to be anywhere near.”
This teacher’s words hit home: the things we do now will directly affect our children in the future. Kind words, a smile, a piece of advice, or just quietly listening while a child pours out his or her heart are small things that have a huge impact, and are things any of us can do.
