Then from all these past childhood experiences, As I began my teaching journey, I came to realize…
My goal must be to empower my children with those same strategies of determination; and never giving up; I learned to succeed…
Along with those strategies, came understanding, empathy…
My teaching journey of helping others…began in my childhood, starting with the need to help my mother; who relied on me to look out for my older sister, who had mental health issues…My mother could not always be around… Being a single parent…She was busy working…
My sister belonged to organizations that supported her mental health needs, and I was able to go along, which gave me a better understanding of those in need…
During those impressionable years, my first recollection of helping outside our home was when I went around our neighborhood, at the age of ten, asking for donations for the”Jerry Lewis Telethon” for muscular dystrophy…
And then, when I was in highschool…I was ready for my very first volunteer position, when I became a candystriper at a local hospital in Miami…I worked in their gift shop…
During those early teaching years, being a single parent myself; raising my daughter alone; and because living on a teacher’s salary; not having enough to make ends meet…I had to work at extra jobs in retail, tutoring, and teaching summer school…
As the teaching years rolled on, my daughter was now older, in highschool… I still felt that strong need to volunteer… beyond the teaching day…
So in 1987, my daughter was finishing highschool , working part-time… I was now able to fulfill that need to help others…
My first volunteering experience was associated with the Ronald McDonald House, assisting parents staying at the House, who had children that were at Shands Children’s Hospital in Gainesville…I was able to volunteer once a month, and on special holidays, Thanksgiving and Christmas… volunteering for nine years…A very rewarding experience…
Volunteer from 1988-1997
Another volunteering opportunity was being can operator on a hotline phone for the Aids Network in Gainesville…I felt such a need during these most challenging times in the early nineties…I was able volunteer after school once a week…for about a year…
Then, by the New Millennium, 2002, my life caught up with me…After thirty years teaching, I retired because of health issues…Yet, I still yearned to volunteer…
And I began training to become an advocate for children who were in foster care; becoming a Guardian ad Litem…
I had that blessed opportunity to advocate for children who were in foster care…I visited my children at least once a week, traveling as far as Jacksonville and Georgia; working closely in conjunction with Department of Family Services…
I realized then, how everyone in the system really cared for our children, and were really doing all they could, but there definitely is such a tremendous need for more funding and resources to give our children the support so desperately needed…
And so my journey continued, by 2007…I was back in the classroom…I was blessed to resume my teaching career at a school with a diverse population of students with tremendous needs …
All the skills I learned along my journey, better prepared me for these final eight years of my teaching journey..
Even with all the teaching challenges of today, I really felt I made a difference…
And hoping the teachers of today, who are dealing with so much, to not give up… However, I so understand why so many are leaving our profession…
Retiring in 2015…I am still holding onto Hope for our children..I may not be volunteering, However I am still an advocating….and feel that need to help…There is still the need and work to be done…
I speak out for our children on social media…and have volunteered on political campaigns…I worked hard to get Hillary elected back in 2016…And even thanked her for supporting teachers and public schools…
Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona…A Transformational future for our children…
And so this journey continues…my passion for helping through my advocacy… My work is unfinished..
Janis Sexton...Teacher...Advocate 