Taking Charge of Your Education

In “The New Kid,” Anthony Turner describes the difficulty of finding his own school after several years in an RTC, where all his decisions were made for him. He has to push himself both to choose a school and then to find people to hang out with.

Prompts for discussion and/or writing:

• Describe some of Anthony’s social setbacks when school started. Possible answers: Nobody talked to him. They answered his questions with two or three words. He was mocked for participating in class. He didn’t make the basketball team.) Have you ever been “the new kid”? What was it like?

• What are some of the things Anthony learned through this experience? (Possible answers: Taking initiative is empowering. Be friendly, but be yourself. Seek out after-school activities you like. Be nice to the other new kids.) Have the teens share strategies that eased their transition from being new and helped them connect with people.

• Find examples in the stories of Anthony stepping up and doing something new and scary. (Possible answers: Searching for a high school; visiting the high schools; choosing a school even though it had roaches and a rude parent coordinator; striking up conversations with strangers when school started; overcoming the urge to transfer; trying to join the basketball team and volunteer as a tutor; joining the newspaper club, yearbook, and College Now.) What did Anthony gain from doing all these things? Have the teens list risks they’ve taken and responsibilities they’ve taken on that have helped them grow.