Thanks from a student

At our school we have student of the month every month. I really think about this and give it to the student that I believe deserves it. Not because this student has the highest grade, but because I feel like he tries all around. Last week we picked our students for last month,we're running a little behind[ha,ha] so I thought about it and picked a student that I didn't have for 10 days at the first of the year because his home school had him in ISS. We talked about the reason he was in ISS and I explained to him my opinion about what he had done,and we talked about life and the decisions we make. I told him that change starts with the man in the mirror,if you don't like what's happening in your life you have the power to change it. In my class he has shown consistant improvement. I didn't tell him that I had chosen him for student of the month, so when the lady came to take him to have his picture made I just called him to the front of the class and told him to go with her. He looked at me as if he had done something wrong, I assured him that he wasn't in trouble and they left to take his picture. When he came back to class we were in the lab, he walked over to me and all he said was Thank You. That's the first time in two years that a student has thanked me for choosing them, most just come back to class and act as if nothing has happened. Today report cards went home, this student brought his report card to me to show me at the 4 weeks progress report he had a 48 in a class and now he has a 71. He is passing all of his classes. Some kids haven't really met the man in the mirror, but sometimes a little encouragement and explanations can make them see that this reflection can be the start of a whole new life. I'm proud of him and he's proud of himself.These little bright spots make up for several dim spots in the world of teaching.