I hate dumb ass kids. That sounds mean, especially coming from someone who works with youth on a daily basis. I know there are lots of kids who struggle in school and I am not calling all of them dumb. The ones who are dumb asses are kids who don't do well in school and don't even make an effort to learn (yet somehow still get passed to the next grade). There is this one girl in particular who got me very frustrated today. She somehow is in the 7th grade, yet does not understand the concept of addition, and has vocabulary words like 'box' and 'left'. I don't know whether to be mad at her, her parents, or the teachers that let her get past the 2nd grade. Those are the kids I worry about.

But there are other kids who inspire. Take my good little buddy, Paul. It is his birthday on Friday, so my boss gave him $5 as a present. It is an annual tradition that I take him to the movies on his birthday. We are going to see The Longest yard.
Anyways, today when a mother came to pick up her 2 young sons, we learned that their father had just passed away yesterday. Some of the other kids were in the room and heard her say that they were trying to put some money together for the funeral. Then Paul just says 'Here I have some money,' and he hands the mother the $5 bill he had received a few minutes earlier. Such a refreshing change from the other kids who are always asking me for quarters or dollars. He is the most awesome 6th grader I know.
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