Project MARS/AmeriCorps collects “Great Stories” from its members in which they reflect on their experiences mentoring in the classroom and the progress they saw students. Project MARS members have just started the new school year, so this month’s story was written after the beginning of last school year by Marissa Little, then in her second year with Project MARS.
“One student in particular, let’s call them ‘T,’ has been asking me to draw with them a lot and play tag almost every day. It’s very sweet! The specific moment that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about happened last week. T was getting picked up from aftercare, and they ran in panting saying how they left all of their stuff outside. So I just said go get it, I’ll tell your mom you’re coming in a second.
So I did just that – I went up and told T’s mom they were coming in a second. She is super chill, so she just said thanks, no big deal! Then she asked if I was Marissa. After I said yes, she said ‘I hear all about Ms. Marissa and everything you do for T, so thank you.’
I was speechless. I just smiled and said thank you. Never could I have ever imagined being in the position where students tell their parents about me and what I do for them. It’s a really nice reminder of why I do what I do and why I love it so much.”
