for the kids of cohen teen violence
early parenthood and sheer poverty can
pose overwhelming challenges
understanding education was already
hanging by a thread and so to me it is
apparent that katrina just cut the end
of that schools shutdown transcripts
perished and kids lost proof of what
year they were in leaders talked about
rebuilding the city but today parts of
the Big Easy still lie and ruin our lien
Kennedy is the new principal at Cohen
she has been an educator for 15 years
most recently in South Carolina New
Orleans is a much different world I’ve
come to a laid-back culture I’ve come to
a laid-back society there are a lot of
things that are considered to be more
important than education in a city with
a soaring homicide rate Cohen’s
teenagers are among those most at risk
do I think that he’s a kid that’s
unsavable no I don’t I think he’s a
child that still has hope there’s a lot
more than me and the teachers and the
climate control managed or the football
coach there’s a lot more than us they
need to come and take an active part
it’s difficult getting his mom to come
to school Julie Murphy is in her first
year of teaching English it blows my
mind when I walk into my school and I
had no books in my personal library and
kids who couldn’t get pens and binders
and just basic school supplies miss
Murphey understands that for many Cohen
kids graduation can be a frightening
prospect scary thing for a lot of kids
not just I but a lot of the seniors to
leave here because this is a safe place
not really a lot safe but it’s a safe
place for them I really really want you
to not just
the only reason we get mad is because we
see you like throwing it away that’s why
we get mad if we didn’t see something a
new tie we wouldn’t care
graduation day has finally arrived with
no stadium and the air conditioning
broken at Cohen auditorium this church
welcomes the community for this
milestone event
I stood there and said to them you all
need to understand this is a rite of
passage this is the movement from
childhood into maturation and this is
your ability to say I’m ready to step up
in the world my kids my kids deserve the
best because they’re the best they are
right they are full of life they have so
much to say
it’s just that nobody listens of the 66
seniors began the year at Cohen 32
graduate
do I think I’ve gotten far no I think
I’m 25% of the way do I stop no because
we need to get a hundred percent of the
way
despite Katrina despite the violence and
intense poverty that engulfed them 15
Cohen teams will go on to college
sparks of hope in a city where hope can
still be terribly hard to find
early parenthood and sheer poverty can
pose overwhelming challenges
understanding education was already
hanging by a thread and so to me it is
apparent that katrina just cut the end
of that schools shutdown transcripts
perished and kids lost proof of what
year they were in leaders talked about
rebuilding the city but today parts of
the Big Easy still lie and ruin our lien
Kennedy is the new principal at Cohen
she has been an educator for 15 years
most recently in South Carolina New
Orleans is a much different world I’ve
come to a laid-back culture I’ve come to
a laid-back society there are a lot of
things that are considered to be more
important than education in a city with
a soaring homicide rate Cohen’s
teenagers are among those most at risk
do I think that he’s a kid that’s
unsavable no I don’t I think he’s a
child that still has hope there’s a lot
more than me and the teachers and the
climate control managed or the football
coach there’s a lot more than us they
need to come and take an active part
it’s difficult getting his mom to come
to school Julie Murphy is in her first
year of teaching English it blows my
mind when I walk into my school and I
had no books in my personal library and
kids who couldn’t get pens and binders
and just basic school supplies miss
Murphey understands that for many Cohen
kids graduation can be a frightening
prospect scary thing for a lot of kids
not just I but a lot of the seniors to
leave here because this is a safe place
not really a lot safe but it’s a safe
place for them I really really want you
to not just
the only reason we get mad is because we
see you like throwing it away that’s why
we get mad if we didn’t see something a
new tie we wouldn’t care
graduation day has finally arrived with
no stadium and the air conditioning
broken at Cohen auditorium this church
welcomes the community for this
milestone event
I stood there and said to them you all
need to understand this is a rite of
passage this is the movement from
childhood into maturation and this is
your ability to say I’m ready to step up
in the world my kids my kids deserve the
best because they’re the best they are
right they are full of life they have so
much to say
it’s just that nobody listens of the 66
seniors began the year at Cohen 32
graduate
do I think I’ve gotten far no I think
I’m 25% of the way do I stop no because
we need to get a hundred percent of the
way
despite Katrina despite the violence and
intense poverty that engulfed them 15
Cohen teams will go on to college
sparks of hope in a city where hope can
still be terribly hard to find
Please follow and like us: