Blown Away!!

I had an all-time "This is what being a teacher is really all about" moment this week. One of the classes I teach is Work Based Learning. This class is designed to take upperclassmen that have decided what their career is going to be and match them up with a local business in the same category. So, if a good student thinks they want to be a Vet I will go to a local Veterinary Office and attempt to get the student accepted as an intern. Last spring I had a senior who was interested in marketing as a future career. I was lucky enough to get her placed at Kennesaw State University in their Sports Marketing Department. Once the semester ended, she left the internship as she was going to attend a different college. Fast forward to last week and upon opening my e-mail one morning I noticed an e-mail from this same student. Here is the e-mail:

Hey Coach Kemp! I thought that you would like to know that because of the experience I got at Kennesaw State University in the sports marketing program I got hired to be a part of the Athletic Event staff, and I am the only freshman that got hired! I have so many doors that are open to me now and it is all because of your effort that you put towards me in your internship class. My boss is Joshua Clendenin, and he graduated from Harrison in 2004, so it's a small world over here in West Georgia. Anyways... I just wanted to take the time to thank you because I really could not be where I am without you and I don't come across nice and genuine people like you.

Insert misty eyes here! I was blown away by this action. For a teenaged student to take the time to email a thank you letter to me was very impactful. This was a much needed spirit lifter at a time when the grind was becoming quite tough.