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December 16, 2007 - The Times-Picayune
Best gift to child is gift of self
By Sarah Druen
Ready or not, Christmas is coming, and along with it, all the hoopla of traffic, shopping, long lines and unnecessary spending. In order to avoid being swept up in the commercialism and hype of the season, a concerted effort must be made to remember the reason for the season.
My inspiration in this endeavor comes from a close friend, Algiers resident Clayre Crook, who recently reminded me that Christmas is a "way of life" to be celebrated every day throughout the year. As a former physical education teacher and administrative assistant at Ursuline Academy High School, Crook influenced hundreds of students to approach life with a giving spirit in order to fulfill the school's motto of Serviam, "I will serve." How refreshing it was to be reminded that "the best gift of all is the gift of self."
When was the last time you considered the gift you are as a grandparent? The love, support and attention provided by grandparents can make all the difference in the world in the life of a child. I once thought there was no replacement for a grandparent, but that's before I became acquainted with the foster grandparent program, sponsored by New Orleans Catholic Charities.
Indeed, foster grandparents Maureen Hebert and Mildred Tropez are making a tremendous difference in the lives of the students at Harvey Kindergarten.
Foster grandparents commit themselves to working in a school setting for four hours a day, five days a week, for which they receive a small stipend. Hebert, who resides in Gretna, has been a foster grandparent at Harvey Kindergarten for three years and first came to hear about the program through a newspaper advertisement.
"I knew I didn't want to sit around and be idle," Hebert said, and since she felt she had something to give, she applied for the program. Hebert works with special-needs children and particularly enjoys that "they all call me 'Grandma.' Although Hebert is not a biological grandmother, she has about 140 adopted grandchildren from all different backgrounds.
Aside from working with special-needs grandchildren, Hebert assists in monitoring the hall, assisting with lessons in the classroom and supervising students in the cafeteria. Teacher's assistant Chrissy Rogers says, "I don't know what I'd do without Ms. Maureen. I can always depend on her."
Rogers said "a lot of our kids come from single-parent homes and are not exposed to 'grandma,' so it's especially good for them."
Principal Becky Brown summed things up when she said, "It's a blessing to have these ladies . . . they are very, very helpful."
After 37 years in the school system, Mildred Tropez could have retired, but heard about the foster grandparent program through a friend and decided to get involved. What keeps her going? Tropez said, "The more you work with children, the better you are as an adult."
Tropez has been a foster grandparent for about a year and said she believes God has given her "what the children need to grow up to be proud citizens."
One of the things that Tropez finds most interesting is that she is never quite certain in what capacity she will serve on any given day.
Upon entering Harvey Kindergarten for a recent visit, I was first introduced to Tropez in a classroom. A few minutes later, she was monitoring students in the hall, and following that, she was serving lunch in the cafeteria. Wherever she happened to be, her smile and warm friendly spirit followed.
Hopefully, this column will encourage you to become involved in the life of a young person. Whether your involvement is a formal one, such as through the foster grandparent program, or informally by simply taking an interest in a young person's life, you can make all the difference in the world. Give the gift of yourself because no one cab replace the role of a Seasoned Senior.
For more information on the foster grandparent program, which is sponsored by New Orleans Catholic Charities, call Suzanne Prayter at (504) 310-6882.
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