The Editor,
Over the course of my schooling as well as my everyday life, I have been privileged enough to spend time with several educational assistants. From a students’ perspective, I have seen the school division’s need for these incredible people.
Whether it is special needs, speech and language, or in a classroom setting, the divisions, teachers and students rely on educational assistants for a lot more than what meets the eye.
These are people who continually put every bit of their heart into their work. They go to work every day and make positive differences in their workplace as well as the lives of the children in our community. They do their job because it is satisfying and rewarding. They do their job because they are big-hearted, compassionate and amazing human beings, and they deserve to be recognized as such.
I speak from this perspective because beyond my 21 years of life my mother has been employed with the school division. I have seen first hand the thought, time and effort that she puts into her work. I have met some of her students and their families, and I have heard these people sing nothing but praises time and time again. Educational assistants are important. They are appreciated, but they deserve to be supported in all aspects of their careers. They deserve to be able to support their families and to keep themselves afloat in a city where it nearly impossible to live on a minimum wage salary.
While my mom was busy raising my brother and me to be intelligent, kind, well-rounded adults, she was also helping to guide children in our community. Educational assistants are teaching, nourishing and shaping our future every day to find happiness and success in the real world.
To close, I will leave you with a quote: “A good teacher is like a candle, it consumes itself to light the way for other.” — Mustafa Kemal Ataturk
Wholeheartedly,
Kenzie Bolen
