The French Connection
By Roberta M. Helming
When I was transitioning from elementary school to junior high school, I wanted to study French. “No” my counselor told me, “You will need to learn to cook and sew so that you can take care of your husband and children when you grow up.”
I guess it was assumed that because I came from a poor neighborhood I wouldn't stand a chance of going to college since I would be having children instead. In the end I prevailed and studied French for three years.
Fast forward 16 years and along comes the man of my dreams. And guess what? He has a degree in French from a prestigious university. I would have married him for 100 other reasons, but the “French connection” was the clincher.
The moral of my story: Never give up on your dreams because you never know when they will bear fruit. (And you know, he doesn't mind cooking, cleaning and sewing when I give him directions to do so in French.)
On a serious note, my story illustrates the importance of not categorizing children's educational futures based on current socioeconomic status.
Copyright 2008 - All Rights Reserved. This may not be reproduced without the written permission of the author.
I feel it is important to do what we can to make a difference in this world. This is my contribution.
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