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Friday, November 03, 2006

Inspiring Heroes for Today's Youth

When I stop to think of all of the people in my life that have inspired me, I am quite shocked at how small the list really is. It takes a lot to ignite a passion in me. Those people that make it to my list are people who have made the difference in the lives of children. Children are my passion, and people that take the time in life to motivate and encourage them earn my respect.
One of the two people who inspires me is a man by the name of Dave Pelzer. He is the author of A Child Called It and several other books that give an account of the abuse that he endured in the hands of his unstable, alcoholic mother. His case was one of the most severe and gruesome cases of child abuse in California history. He suffered years of physical, mental and emotional abuse that I can not even fathom. His mother played such severe mind games with him and called him an “It.” He was sent to school in filthy clothing that didn’t even fit him and was fed scraps of food that even an animal wouldn’t touch. No one in the outside world knew the hell that he was living behind closed doors. Finally at the age of twelve, with the help of a teacher, he was rescued and removed from his home and went on to live a life where he circumvented the maze of the foster care system. When he got older he joined the armed forces. He is now a world recognized motivational speaker to teens and those in the human service professions. He tells his story and shows how you can make a difference in the world no matter what your background baggage may be. This is a man who has beaten the odds and has gone on to win many prestigious awards. Pelzer was honored as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Americans in 1993. I admire his strength and will to live. Without that he would have never made it through those hellish years alive.
The other person that inspires me is also a great motivator of today’s children. He is a young man named Ron Clark. Clark decided to leave his small town in North Carolina, live in Harlem, and teach some of the most challenging and troubled students. He was nominated Teacher of the Year in 2000, which was of no surprise to those whose lives have been affected by his teaching techniques. He has passion and huge amount of creativity to reach them. He uses his enthusiasm and love to encourage them. He shows the students that he cares about them and their success. Clark has written several bestsellers that are used to inspire teachers and parents alike. In the book Excellent 11, Clark shares the eleven qualities that he has seen in teachers that make a difference. These qualities are: enthusiasm, confidence, adventure, creativity, reflection, balance, compassion, humor, common sense, appreciation and resilience. I wish more teachers cared more about the lives they encounter everyday in their classrooms. Ron Clark is a teacher I wish I would have had in school.
These two men have been a strong example to me and have helped me to see the difference I have made as a foster parent. Many times I struggle with the feelings that I am not doing enough. I get called monthly to take in more foster children but I know my limits. There are so many children in this world that have never felt loved or like they are worth anything. When I look at my three children I remind myself where they might be if I had not taken them in. You can make a difference in the life of a child. All it takes is reaching one youngster at a time. I hope that I can inspire someone around me to reach out and make a difference.