“TEACHER?  I PREFER THE TERM EDUCATIONAL ROCKSTAR!”

Its official, we are back to school. The state sales tax weekend (where I suspect most of the bargain hunters were NOT going back to school or even parents of those going back to school) has passed. Our best and brightest are, once again, engaged in perhaps the most important endeavor of the human race — that of teaching. Every year, we here at San Antonio Youth Literacy are privileged to work with an incredibly gifted, caring group of individuals who, through the combination of art and science, mold the intellectual and emotional minds of our world’s future. Somewhere along the way, many of us have been in a situation where we are asked the perennial question, “Who was your mentor?” and how many times is the response, “Mrs., Mr., so-and-so, my ___ teacher.” I would venture to guess that all of us would and have answered that question the same way. Not that anyone cares, but my favorite teacher was Mrs. Hamilton, my 4^thgrade teacher. I can’t tell you exactly what I learned from her academically, but I can remember how much she cared about me. I won’t bore you with any of the details because I hope that all of us have these memories.

Now, I realize that traditionally we thank our teachers at some time during the year other than the beginning, but I want us to appreciate our teachers right out of the gate. After all, most of them have been preparing for the children’s return for several weeks. They have been busy creating welcoming, exciting environments in which learning can thrive.

Teachers know the magic of placing a caring adult in the path of a child. SAYL has built our entire program around that magic. All of our Reading Buddies get to witness the magic throughout the school year. If you think I am being melodramatic – come be a Reading Buddy!

Just a reminder, on October 5, we will be holding our major fundraiser, San Antonio Youth Literacy’s Annual Luncheon. Please see the details in the newsletter.  We hope to see you there to celebrate and support children’s literacy in San Antonio and Bexar County.

Deborah Valdez, Executive Director