No, Thank You!

Like all of my fellow Anchors and Reporters here at Channel 9, I give a lot of speeches, especially around this time of year. Sometimes in the future when I’m thinking about turning down a request to speak to young people, I’ll think back to the email I got a couple of days ago following my address to the National Honor Society Inductees at a DC Charter Middle School. It’s printed below:

Mr. Johnson-

I would like to take the time to thank you so much for the words of encouragement you gave today at the Induction Ceremony @ Friendship Edision-Blow Pierce. I am the proud mother of the only boy inducted today (Mykal), and the speech you gave really instilled something in myself as well as my son. I am a single mother of 3 boys (the one inducted today is my middle son), and I have been pushing my boys to be something great! When you spoke about your mother sending you away so you could achieve, reminds me of why I send my boys from Ward 4 to attend one of the best middle schools in the city.

In a time when the city is changing, I have been steadfast in continually surrounding them with experiences that will broaden their horizons. My son Mykal, was robbed earlier this year while standing at the bus stop, and me being mom, I was not sure how to teach him how to be strong. All I could do was comfort him and attempt to ease his fears. At that time, I told him that he was doing the right thing by not hanging out on the corners, going to school and striving for more. When you said today that "it's easy to stand on the corner," my son looked back at me and said, "mom, you told me that."

So, in closing, I would like to say thank you, thank you, thank you!

Cheryl