November 2017

Tiyanna M. at LYFE at James Monroe is a kind and reserved student parent of an almost two-year-old child. Tiyanna’s attendance rate on average has been 100% since 2016!  Absent only 3 times during the 2016-2017 school year, Tiyanna expressed how she achieves perfect attendance – “I don’t want to miss school because then I will miss learning. Missing any work will affect me with reaching graduation.” 

 

When Tiyanna was asked how she keeps herself motivated to attend school every day, through rain or shine, she stated: “The moments when I don’t want to go to school, I stay calm and repeat to myself that I have to get up and go get what I want!” Tiyanna also credits LYFE Teacher Mignon Callendar and LYFE education paraprofessional Monique Pearson for always checking in on her, “If I looked upset or sad, Mignon would pull me over to have a talk. When the new school year came and Mignon wasn’t the teacher (at this site), Monique would see I wasn’t happy and would talk with me. It helps to know that people care that you are ok. It also helps that the LYFE social worker Ms. Sanchez makes sure I am doing well in my class.” 

 

Tiyanna, when asked what message would she give to LYFE staff supporting student parents whose attendance needs to increase, shared this heartwarming reminder, “Don’t give up on a student parent who doesn’t want to talk to you or seems angry. Just keep asking ‘are you ok?’ because that is how we learn that you really do care.The attendance will get better when they feel cared for.”

 

Congratulations to Tiyanna for her resilience and motivation to succeed! What an inspiration!