So yesterday was a sad day. I arrived at work to find out that the head football coach at Cottonwood High school had died suddenly. I am on the district crisis team, so I am always on call in such situations.Today, a voice message from a DCFS worker asking what to for school for a student going into eight grade this school year who had a baby in May. Another voice message was from the Salt Lake Detention Center, a worker needed to know how many credits a would be senior had toward graduation. When I called to report only .25 credits with an enrollment summary of attending only 9th grade, I couldn't help but think about these young people in so many different ways. I hope that the DCFS worker will find a good placement for a very young mom who needs support, motivation, and courage to move forward. I hope that the detention center will somehow have a positive impact on a young man who has pretty much nothing to show that he is progressing and moving along in his life.
One good thing, however, was a call from a young man who wasn't sure if he had graduated or not in 2009. He didn't finish graduation requirements on time, but he did take summer school classes last summer. However, he said he missed the last day of summer school, went the following day to get his diploma, and no one was at the school to give it to him. Fast forward to July 2009, he has a chance to work at FedEx if he can show proof of graduation. He had called the school but got the run around. I did some quick research (he had in fact completed everything for graduation) and then I called the school. I got some hesitation from the office staff about whether or not he could have his diploma, which was there at the school, without counselor clearance. Arrgggggg . . . Even counselors have telephones -- isn't graduation important enough to call someone at home? I emphatically asked the office staff person to get the diploma ready to present to the student -- I would call him and send him on his way. I asked the student to call me when he had the diploma in his hands -- he did -- and I gave him the "Yippee! Congratulations! Go celebrate!"
My work life . . . .
My home life -- my son was a door to door salesman this afternoon. With backpack and a sales pitch, he went off to sell Hunter Football Gold Cards (discount cards for a fundraiser). He canvassed half the neighborhood and sold 6-7 of the twenty he has. He is a good boy. He also went to summer seminary this morning. I must admit that I was not a seminary attender, nor were Karl, Annie, or Haley. I have been puzzeled all summer about his willingness to attend until one day Maddie Hunt's mom gave him a ride home. It then hit me -- GIRLS.
