The post below is another in our series of submissions from the Long Beach Writers, a group of students in Literacy Workshop classes given by Devon Day at Wilson High School. Day, her partner in the Pen Pal program in West Virginia and the students are working to raise $50,000 so the students can to quote one student “learn about their culture in West Virginia, see things we don’t get to see here like barns and farms.” For many of these students this will be their first trip out of Long Beach, the goal is to expand their horizons and show them what is beyond their current borders, and help them with a path to success. At the end of this post is information as to how you can help.
The story below is from “Tom” who in many ways is typical of Day’s students, and in one particular aspect not like many of his classmates. As with many of the deepest, most painful writings, this story is short—yet Day is proud of these students as many of them before this project never wrote more than a sentence or two; now Tom, like others is starting to tell his story in his words. This is the most he has ever written for Day; also true of every Long Beach Writer story we have posted.
Reading through the stories and essays, many of which we have not yet publish, nor will we in some circumstances, the most common theme for these children, and yes they are still children, is disruptive or dysfunctional home life. Several of the students are from traditional two parent homes, but most are not. The overwhelming majority of the Long Beach Writers have become accustomed to no father, no mother or sometime no parent saying good-bye to them as they leave for school each morning. Tom is such a child.
Anything But Ordinary
By Tom
For the sake of this article, my name is Tom. When people look at me they assume I am another rich white kid that lives on the East Side. My life has been anything but easy. My life has had a lot of good and bad times.
When I was two years old I was put up for adoption with my two sisters that I don’t want to name. My dad and mom got married and they thought it was going to be a perfect marriage. Then my mom ended up with no money and ran away. My dad was working in construction and ended up falling three stories straight on to his legs. So while he was in the hospital, the State of California came to him and told him that they needed to send us somewhere. So my dad told them to send us to my uncle’s house in Washington D.C. While we were out there my aunt would hit us and beat us for anything even if we did not eat our vegetables. One time my sister didn’t finish her meal and so my aunt held her over a bunk bed and held her by her hair.
When my dad got out of the hospital he went to go see us and we were all covered with bruises. My dad asked us what happened and my sister told him.
So my dad took us to the court house and gained custody of us. After my mom got out of jail she started getting her act together. She is living a clean life and coming over every weekend to be a real mom.
Please help send the Long Beach Writers to West Virginia to meet their pen pals! Unfortunately on-line donations are not currently available due to a website issue with the Long Beach Education Foundation.
To make a donation please send a check to:
Long Beach Writers
c/o Long Beach Education Foundation
1515 Hughes Way
Long Beach, CA 90810
Memo: LB Writers/WVa
Long Beach Education Foundation is a non-profit organization. All donations are tax deductible.
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