PAYBAC to the Future

by Serena Phillips in Education, March 14, 2009

I speak with an organization called PAYBAC to children about education. This is a speech I wrote about one of my experiences.

At that point, I asked if there were any more questions. One girl asked me if I sang well. I told her I could hold my own so they asked me to sing for them. So I did and I was nervous. These are just kids, why was I nervous? I wanted them to like me and listen. I wanted to sing something they liked. They gave me songs but I didn’t know them so I sang Maroon 5 Wake Up Call. They liked it. Then they sang for me. At that point, something had changed. This wasn’t about me at all. This was about them. I wanted them to succeed and learn. I connected with them. I WAS “THEM” in my youth. I may have had money and support but I was also naïve and oblivious to the world outside of mine. I wanted these girls to go on and live prosperous lives, each and every one of them because they are each special. Each one became an individual that could do something great. They became people and they became my heroes. They are the future of my world and my children’s worlds.

After a few more questions, one girl raised her hand and said “What do you do if you are having problems at home and problems at school?” I realized then that I was giving them hope. I was the adult showing them how they can succeed. I told her to do the best she could with what she had and to keep pushing forward and doing what was good for her and what was going to make her happy. I told her that she will turn 18 and get to make her choices and to hold in there and things will get better. I told them all to make good choices or at least the best choices they could. My heart was breaking and my soul was filled with love and compassion.

When I walked out the door, the teacher asked me where I worked. He told me he wanted to call my boss and tell him what I great job I did. He also said he would ask for me specifically the next time they had a PAYBAC speaker. I told him, thanked him and left to go fill out my survey and go back to work. As I was driving to the office I realized that whether he called or not didn’t matter. I felt good from my head down to my toes.