Hannah on the importance of home

To me, my home is a place of peace. I sit on the front porch with my family and dogs. We talk for hours, or sometimes we just sit and enjoy nature (that may sound lame, but it is true). I could literally sit there for hours on end and listen to the wind, the pond, people driving down the gravel road, or the frogs chirp. I walk inside and have dinner with my family and maybe some friends… we will grill out if I am lucky. Once it gets past dark we all finally go to bed. One can always tell the smell of another’s house. My house is my smell. I crave the feeling of my head hitting the pillow in my room where my windows are open and I hear nothing but country.

My country haven speaks to me because it is where I am welcomed and loved. I know whenever I want I can go home, and waiting for me will be my parents, my dogs, and a warm cooked meal. I feel so greedy when I go home every weekend and some of my friends are suck at Wofford because their home is in Baltimore; but at least they know their home is there. That is what brings me to the kids at the Cleveland Boys and Girls Club. The first time I went to work with the children I was utterly shocked at their excitement to be there. After school hours, doing homework, running around with a bunch of kids…when you could be home? Home?
While helping with homework, I asked some questions to individual kids who were having a hard time. When I wanted to know if he/she was getting help at home they looked at me aimlessly. “No, I get help at the Boys and Girls Club.” When I told a young boy he needed to practice writing his “5”s at home he looked at me and said he would not have time, he had to watch his brother.  

A day at the Boys and Girls Club begins with a snack, and these kids love it! I know it is really important to feed all of them because some will not get fed until much later in the night. What I find the most heart wrenching about the entire after school program is when the kids take a couple minutes to recite the pledge. It reads (something like), I believe in the Constitution, a better me, the Bill of Rights…etc. At the end a student stands up front and says, “No matter what (name) says…” They all yell back, “I AM SOMEBODY.” At the Club these kids get the attention and drive to succeed and become someone.