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Johnny Parker, grandfather of one Orr High School student and one graduate, chairperson of the Local Advisory School Council:
I was so excited to be part of re-vamping Orr High School. I’m retired now and I’ve been part of Orr for two generations, watching my daughter go through and graduate and now being here to see my granddaughter at Orr.
When AUSL first came in, I was concerned about the neighborhood accepting the change. So I got involved. I was one of the parent volunteers who stood outside the school on that first day holding signs saying things like, “Honk your horn if you like the new school uniform.” At first, no body would wave back. The kids would walk right by and ignore us. But it didn’t take long before we started to see people accept us. Once they saw that we were out there every day, at the same time, the same faces every day, that we were here to stay and we weren’t going anywhere, well then they started to accept us.
Now when people pass by in the morning, they wave to us and give us the thumbs-up. And if we miss a day or don’t talk to a particular student, they come up to us and ask us what’s going on. The kids depend on us being there now. They’ve accepted us and they know we’re here because we want to see the school change.
My granddaughter is a straight A student, and she’s a lot more excited this year about her academics. At first she was embarrassed that I’m at the school every day. But she got over that. Now even the other kids call me “Grandpapa.”
I’m happy that with AUSL at Orr I finally have the chance to really get involved. I’ve been in this neighborhood 28 years and I’ve been waiting all that time for a chance like this. Now I can’t stay away from the school. I’m not sure if they need me more or if I need to be here more.
I used to hear people in the neighborhood say, “Oh, they can’t change; that school’s not going to change.” But now they can see that it is changed. And if anyone doesn’t believe me I just say to them, “Come join me. Come on into the school and see it for yourself. And just like me you’ll be here everyday.” |
