This group of cute little smiling 1st graders could be ANY group of 1st graders in just about any school in America; except that it's MY 1st grade class in 1974. We were smiling, as most 1st graders do, because we loved school and were excited about learning! As little first graders, we were not aware that we were "pioneers" of sorts; as the first generation of students in a fully racially integrated school. We were too busy learning how to read, write, add and subtract, and play with each other on the playground, to worry much about what was going on in the world, or how special and unique our teacher was at the time. Our teacher's name was Miss Ellie Washington. She was a young African-American teacher who grew up in our little town and graduated from high school there when the schools were still racially segregated. She was the first African-American teacher to graduate and return to teach in the newly integrated district. She was definitely a pioneer. We loved her not because she was a pioneer, we loved her because we KNEW she loved us. We thought of her as our nice, young, fun, and pretty teacher. We owe here a lot, because she got us off to a great start! She made sure that we were happy and smiling while we were at school!
The advantage of growing up in a small town is that we are a bit more connected, and I happen to know quite a bit about most of the kids in this photo. Among those smiling little faces, there is one elementary principal, three teachers, a police lieutenant, fire chief, two church pastors, insurance broker, three owners of construction companies, a cosmetologist, a banker, a senior business analyst, a school maintenance worker/bus driver, and a trucking company supervisor. My friend, Stevie Copeland (he's the smiling kid right above me on the page) was sadly killed in a drive-by shooting not long after graduation. He wasn't a bad kid, he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now we remember him at class reunions and admire the smile he kept from Kindergarten to graduation.
Some of these people I honestly don't remember, while others of us went on to graduate from high school together and have remained friends over these many years. We've all had our share of life; with its inevitable ups and downs, smiles and frowns. One of the things I noticed when I looked at this is how happy we all looked, not to mention how cute we were (if I do say so myself). We were full of potential, just like the kids are who are now sitting in your classrooms.
As teachers, we have NO idea what kind of future awaits our students; but what we CAN do is love them while we have them. Every year, you are a pioneer with your students, while you may have taught this grade MANY times, this is their FIRST and (hopefully) ONLY time to be in this grade and in YOUR classroom. They are fortunate to have you as their teacher, facilitator, and leader of learning. Love them and they will follow you anywhere! Love them, and they will be happy, smiling, and ready to come back to learn the next day.