Chances are good that most people reading this had a roof over their heads last night and won’t probably be wanting for food throughout the day. But not necessarily so for the students of woefully underserved Challenger Middle School in eastern Los Angeles County’s rural Antelope Valley. According to the California Department of Education, Challenger has an enrollment of 536 students, 96.1% of whom are socioeconomically disadvantaged, 25.6% are English learners, 9.3% have disabilities, 2.4% are experiencing homelessness and 1.1% are foster youth. Some 30% of the area residents live in poverty, with a per capita annual income of $14,748.
It’s not a group that, on the face of it, would seem to have a lot to be appreciative of. But when PESA was recently asked to do a workshop for students on “Gratitude,” the response was heartwarmingly positive, proving that even in incredibly difficult circumstances, youth can be a resilient and positive bunch.
“My dog!” “My brothers and sisters!” “Yoghurt!” These were just a few of the enthusiastic responses offered by students when asked what things in their lives they were thankful for. (And in case there was any doubt, that yoghurt response was repeated enthusiastically several times!)