I glanced at my phone. “Missed call from Zach.”   I gulped.   Unscheduled calls from former students elicit some trepidation. Over the years I’ve come to learn that sometimes, no news is the best news. Surprise phone calls are often accompanied with a problem – issues with a probation officer, troubles finding stable housing.   I called back.   Zach’s voice was gleeful. “Yo! Spence! Whaddup?”   Still, I was nervous. I apologized for missing his call, explaining that I was in

6 AM Wednesday morning.   As I get older, I become more of a morning person. I make my coffee, crack the door open to let in some fresh air, and listen to the world spin outside.   Outside my apartment, there’s a beautiful Japanese Maple. This year I watched its leaves transform from dark red to bright gold. It was glorious.   Every holiday season, HeartBound prepares Thanksgiving and Christmas meals for our students. These special meals are a wonderful time to bring everyone

The weather outside was indeed frightful.   A cold wind howled outside the weathered windows at the Atlanta Transitional Center.   A chilly frost nipped through cracks in the window frames. I kept my jacket on and collar pulled tight.   Outside, a cold, bleak landscape. But inside this prison, there was joy.   The men sang Christmas carols. The volunteers handed out plates of food and Christmas cookies. Everyone seemed to be filled with Christmas cheer.   I stepped to the pod

Michael. Cooper. Ronnie. Mikel.   These are, in a way, some of my “children.”   My boys at Burruss that I teach every Tuesday from 11:30-1:30.   I bring them snacks, books, and seeds, and they eat, read, and plant.   I’m 28, 29 in August. I don’t foresee biological children in my immediate future (sorry Mom!).   But I have these kids, and I love them SO much.   They all arrived in our horticulture class in sorry states. Michael couldn’t read. Cooper was a social outcast becau

There’s a  good article  in a 2016 issue of The Atlantic titled, “How Kids Learn Resilience,” by Paul Tough (the irony!). Mr. Tough discusses the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on adolescent development. Not surprisingly, children who experience numerous ACEs tend to perform poorly in school, suffer from a myriad of health issues, and are more likely to be incarcerated later in life.  The entire article takes about 25 minutes to read, but here’s the main poin

While leading a Project A.R.T. class at Rockdale RYDC, I met a boy called “Lee.” He was very reserved and quiet, keeping to himself as the other guys in my program engaged with each other easily. He seemed very alone, so I decided to sit with him to share markers and continue drawing. I asked about his project; he kept replying with one word answers and gestures. As I checked in with the other boys’ progress, I kept returning to Lee, trying to make conversation, but still no