St. Joseph Foster Grandpas
Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday is one occasion when Debora Stermer, 4th grade teacher at Sam Adams Elementary School in Cassopolis, teaches her students about the civil rights movement in the United States.
During a lesson last month, Ms. Stermer was telling her students about Freedom Riders. In 1960, a Supreme Court ruling outlawed racial segregation in restaurants and interstate bus terminals. Following this landmark decision, 450 Freedom Riders - both black and white civil rights activists - boarded interstate buses traveling across the southern United States to challenge local laws that continued to support segregation. Freedom Riders encountered brutality and hatred but their non-violent action has been recognized for transforming the civil rights movement.
As Ms. Stermer completed the lesson, Leon raised his hand. Typically one of the quieter members of the class, he asked if he could tell a story and was invited to come to the front of the room.
Leon surprised everyone with the story of his personal journey as a Freedom Rider when he first came to this country from the Bahamas in 1961. He boarded a Greyhound Bus and traveled across the entire southern United States. He told the children about a particular incident in which a storeowner would not allow him to buy anything because he was black. “But I have money,” he said. “Why can’t I buy something like everyone else?” As he spoke, the storeowner noticed his foreign accent and for that reason only allowed him to make his purchase.
Leon - Grandpa Leon as he is affectionately known – is obviously not your typical 4th grader. Everyday he comes to school as a volunteer with the Foster Grandparent Program.
Leon is one of 29,000 Foster Grandparents serving nationwide – 1,100 serving in Michigan, and 105 in Southwest Michigan - who have chosen to spend their time sharing their knowledge and life experience with young people.
Leon is also one of a small group of men serving in the program. After long years in the workforce as security officers, members of the armed forces, construction workers, mechanics, landscapers, truckers, caregivers and factory workers, they are now well-known and much loved as mentors and role models, especially for young boys. Together, they contribute 6,264 hours of service each year.
Daniel says he’s found his niche in the residential unit at the Berrien County Juvenile Center where young people talk with him easily and ask to hear his stories. Ralph has a special gift and love for working with cognitively-impaired teens on math, computer and life skills at Blossomland Learning Center.
Ernest is a natural fit with teens at Dream Academy. He attends all the basketball games after his time in the classroom and hopes to teach some of the students the art of bricklaying during summer break. E.T. is famous for what his teacher calls ‘contagious happiness’ and can often be found sitting on the floor making puzzles and reading to children at South Haven Head Start. Juvonia loves being called ‘Grandpa’, helping children with beginning steps of reading and has been a source of encouragement to new teachers with his quiet reassurance.
Philosopher and psychologist William James wrote: “The greatest use of a life is to spend it on something that will outlast it.” Leon and his fellow Foster Grandparents are sharing their time, wisdom and stories with young people everyday as an enduring legacy and truly ageless gift.
