A new beginning
Over the last three months I have had the good fortune of working with a young man named Seth. As a home-bound teacher I am responsible for instructing him in mathematics and science. My wife takes care of the other subjects, like English and History. Teaching Seth math has been an up-hill battle to determine what he knows and what he does not know, but over time I have patched up his math skills and taught him a little science as well. Seth represents an increasing part of our young population who come from broken homes and are moved from place to place, rarely knowing the feeling of a secure home. About a year ago his aunt and uncle took him in and gave him a loving and stable home. They enrolled him in the Hampshire high school but this did not work out well for him. Because he was Angry, combative and confused Seth was taken from the school environment and placed in a home-schooled environment which better suited his temperament. From the moment I met Seth I wondered where the angry young man was who had been removed from school because he was polite, witty and sometimes hard-working. Overall, he was a delightful young man.
His aunt and uncle who are now his legal guardians were advised that the Mountaineer Challenge program would be a good place for Seth to be. This is a program which takes young adults who may not function well in the public school system and gives them a fast track to their GED and a military career, if they so choose. The program has been in operation for several years and has helped many young people gain their footing in society and thus become productive citizens. Many have had successful military careers.
In a couple of weeks Seth will leave for Kingwood, WV, home of the Mountaineer Challenge program, and begin a demanding program to get his GED and early entry into the Navy. Sue and I want to wish him all the luck in the world and hope that he will occasionally stop by to keep us informed of his journey through life. The mountain in front of him is very steep and there are many hidden obstacles lurking in the bushes, but with determination, Seth will make it. A special word of gratitude goes out to his aunt and uncle who given him the chance he needed to leave his past behind and strike out in a new direction.
