Tough Love and Rap
November 15, 2011, 8:55 pm
Filed under: 2011-2012 Year Round Interns, Wesley Rankin Community Center
Filed under: 2011-2012 Year Round Interns, Wesley Rankin Community Center
One thing that I have to remember when working with youth or children is that many times the fruit of my labor won’t be instant. Great things don’t happen overnight, and, most times people don’t change instantaneously. This is my second year-round term at Wesley Rankin. I know, after many conversations, that many of these kids have struggles and problems going on in their lives that even adults would have difficulty handling. I have one student, in particular, who doesn’t know his parents, lives with an elderly guardian, and whose brother has been involved in gang activity. I know he’s hurting, and the way he expresses his emotions usually gets him suspended at school or in trouble at home. Many times he just runs away.
Over the course of this school year, I’ve had to show this kid some “tough” love. I’ve had to chase him down twice after he tried to run off and almost had to expel him for his behavior. After each of these incidents, we would have a man to man talk. I had to let him know that what he was doing was unacceptable and that he was headed in the wrong direction in life. However, all of these conversations ended with a reassurance that we loved him here at Wesley Rankin and that we wanted the best for him.
Outside of Project Transformation, I do positive music. One day he asked for a cd, so I gave him one. He listened and talked about it all next week, and then, last week, he wrote a rap about being drug free for a project at school! He was so excited to give it to me and I was glad to hear it. Here is the final version:
Instead of doing drugs – you can get your degree
Go to college – Or just live your life free –
Cause there’s a lot of ways to be drug free
Here’s one way – Come follow me
You can rap – you can play on your PlayStation
You can go outside – you can sing – you can camp
Get inside – go on Facebook – text your homies
Say what’s up bro – what you doing –
Come to my house
And just chill out
That’s all the ways to be drug free
That’s all for me
Larry Randolph
Project Transformation Site Coordinator
2011-2012
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Reflecting on Positive Changes
In the midst of the hustle and bustle of an after-school program, sometimes we can forget to reflect on the program and its impact. Since Family Fun Night, I‘ve taken the opportunity to reflect on the many changes that have taken place. It’s amazing to glance back at everything that has happened over the course of two short months and being able to recognize the differences being made within yourself, the individual lives of the children and families you come in contact with, the churches and the overall community that you serve. The experiences are countless at Project Transformation and I feel incredibly blessed and encouraged to have the opportunity to serve Project Transformation and the many communities involved.
Andrea Gordon
Project Transformation Intern 2011-2012
Intern of the Month Destiny Harris
