I was born in Kokomo. And yes, the Beach Boys' song was named after my hometown. But, Kokomo isn't an island. Far from it. It's a factory town. As the story goes, the Beach Boys wrote a jingle for Delco Radio and they got a kick out of imagining Kokomo as a breezy tropical island oasis.
But there's more to this story. I hope to illustrate that no matter what country or what small town might be their origin story,
children can bloom and grow in the most unexpected ways-- especially if they're fortunate enough to have a beloved teacher.
Mine was Mrs. Bernice Griner. Her hair was always impeccably styled, she wore heels all day without complaining, she had perfect posture and crisp elocution. I wanted to be just like Mrs. Griner. But I thought that would never happen because I knew Mrs. Griner had gone to college and no one in my family history had gone to college.
So at "Back to School Night," when Mrs. Griner took my mother and me aside, I was worreid. Was I in trouble? I knew my penmanship wasn't perfect, was that it? I remember holding my breath until Mrs. Griner spoke and I can hear her voice to this day as she perfectly enunciated each word: "Kathy Jo is college material."
Well, my mom told everyone. And it became The Truth. Nevermind that there was no money set aside for college. With a combination of scholarships, summer jobs and student loans, and work/study programs, I was somehow able to graduate from college, and obtain a Master's degree and a PhD.
So, of course, I sent Mrs. Griner an announcement of my doctoral commencement. When I saw the writing on the envelope, I knew it was from Mrs. Griner. She had tucked inside the card a crisp ten dollar bill. It's the most valuable ten dollar bill there is because it represents the effect a teacher can have in the life of a child. "Teachers change lives" isn't words on a poster: It's the truth.
