Flashback! A Report from the Class of 2007
LearningWorks staff welcomed Allysha Comer back this winter, as an administrative intern. As a former SYP teacher (2008 – 09), and an LW alumna (Class of 2007), Allysha brought both experience and expertise to her new role. When asked to reflect on what LW had meant to her, she wrote the following post. Thanks, Allysha!
The LW Class of 2007!
By LW Intern, Allysha Comer:
A sense of belonging and a sense of community — these are the two most important things I took away from my time at LearningWorks. As an LW student for three years, and an SYP teacher for two, LearningWorks taught me that I belonged somewhere. As an LW student, I knew that as soon as I stepped off my LearningWorks bus I had arrived at a place where I was safe and where I was able to be myself; a place where I’d have fun with people who were proud to be themselves. Among us there were athletes, future teachers, readers, writers, scientists, and debaters (really, the list could go on and on), but at the core, no matter our individual passions or aspirations, we were all one community.
On July 4th, 2010 a member of our community tragically lost his life at the fingertips of a 17-year-old boy. When LearningWorks members started to find out about what happened to Anthony Titus, we all bonded together. We found comfort in sharing stories about him, in hugging, talking, and just being together. During the end of summer Celebration that year, a group of girls and Anthony’s brother, Jessie (who was also in the LW class of 2007), paid a tribute to Anthony. After Celebration, the entire LW community gathered in the courtyard for a moment of silence and shouted Anthony’s favorite word: “Flocka!” As much as it hurt to realize that someone we all loved, and someone I had called my little brother, was gone, we all had our LearningWorks family to fall back on.
For a lot of us, LearningWorks is a family away from home. We have each other’s backs, we support each other inside and outside of the classroom, and we challenge each other to become better leaders, students, and community members. We teach each other that we must all be accountable for the success of our community. That’s why LearningWorks works, that’s why I am the leader I am today. LearningWorks helped me grow and achieve.
