My name is Taylor Thompson. I have been volunteering at PTM for the past two summers. I found out about PTM through Mr. Chan’s daughter, Tinsley. She is always so kind and uplifting to me. One day at church, she told me about how over the summer she would be helping her dad at PTM with the kids. I thought to myself, “If this program is half as amazing as Tinsley, I will be blessed to work here.”

I have learned 2 major lessons from working at PTM. The first lesson I learned last summer, after about 5 weeks of being there. I was very uncomfortable being in charge and bossing people around, especially when most of them were taller than me. But once school started again in the fall, I began to realize how hard these teachers have to work. I began to appreciate the time and effort they put into the day. Ever since last summer, I have tried to be more patient with my teachers, because they struggle just as much as the kids do.

The second lesson I learned this summer about how to make a kid’s day better. This week, Carmello got into a fight with Derrick about how many L’s were in his name. This fight made Carmello very sad for most of the day. Just before Carmello left, I told him that even though he had a bad day, Jesus still loves him. He said “Thanks, Ms. Teacher. And I hope Jesus comes back to Earth on a Tuesday so I can miss school.” The kids never bother to learn my name, and the day that Jesus comes back is apparently very important to Carmello. This made me smile, and it lifted my spirits so much!! These kids have changed the way that I look at school and making friends. I have learned that all teachers need a little grace, because not everyone is perfect and we all make mistakes. A few of the girls in the Rose and Aqua group have taught me that I need to be more inclusive because everyone wants to feel included and have friends. These kids have impacted my life for the better and I am so grateful for PTM. I know that God will use PTM to influence my future, and I cannot wait to see what he has in store for me.