Purpose Cont.....

  I  mentioned that I had a counselor that used my situation against me in my earlier post " Purpose". Let me give details about what my situation was, and then I'll tell you about how he used that situation against me, and almost kept me out of college as a result......

When I entered high school in September of 1993, I was the only sophomore with a two year old son, a job, and my own apartment. My attitude during these years was not like other teenage girls; I didn't care who was who. I didnt' care who was on the football team. I didn't care who the popular kids were.  What I did care about was getting through those high school years so that I could move on. I made it a point that I would attend school everyday. I made it a point to treat school as though it was my second job; taking care of D'Marco was my first. But my determination to succeed in school didn't matter to Mr. Watson, my guidance counselor. His first words to me were " Layloni, are you sure this school fits you?". I didn't understand what he was saying. " I know you have a child, wouldn't one of those teen-pregnant -mother schools fit you better?."  His question blew me away, first how did he know I had a child and second what the....!. I simple looked him in his eye and said " this school fits my just fine! thank you!". I left his office with tears running down my face, I wanted to run home and just cry all night long but I didn't I went to class and acted as if nothing never happened.

I held my own in high school and when it was my senior year I was excited and pregnant again. I was apart of several clubs: Dance for Stars, African American club and  The Drama club.  I knew that colleges like to see things like that on a college application. When it was time it take the ACT'S and SAT'S I ran into a road block, I didn't have the money to pay the fee's to take the tests. I still had a job but rent, bills, clothes, and food was at the top of the list. I went to my counselor and explained the situation, he had nothing to tell me, no kind of solution. I guess from the stress of things I began to have complication with my pregnancy and the doctor felt that I needed to apply for independent study. It would allow me to do school work from home and still receive the credits I needed to graduate.

Graduation day came and I did not attend the ceremony, D'Marco was graduating from pre-school and that was more important. About a week later my Principal called me and wanted to know why I didn't take the SAT'S and I explained that I didn't have the money. She informed me that since I was a single parent that I was eligible for a fee wavier. I thought my head was going to pop off, I was so mad. I didn't hear anything else that she said after that, I was too busy imaging myself walking in his office and giving him a piece of my mind. I could not believe that a person that works with children, who are our future...could be so evil. I felt that he looked at me and figured that since I had a child and was pregnant again that I was not college material, even though my grades showed different. From that experience with him I have learned that I must find the ends and outs to everything; I question everything. While I am on this journey of becoming a high school academic counselor I will keep myself updated with everything I can. Like grants, scholarships, jobs etc so that when my students come to me  I will be able to help them properly or steer them to someone who can.