Hurricane Fay Evacuee

In My Students' Voices

2008-08-26T12:31:00.000-07:00

“There is a teacher at this school that deserves a lot of thanks. Ms. Armour has changed the lives of many students at this school. Through her beautiful way of teaching and her inspiring words, I have perfected the way I spell, the speeches I give, and my outlook on life. Ms. Armour taught me not to care about the opinions of others and to follow my heart. Even though she hasn’t been here very long, I believe that Ms. Armour is an unbelievable teacher and she deserves the ‘Teacher of the Year’ award.”

“Ms. Armour thinks outside the box. It’s nice to be taught by a different breed of teacher.”

“Throughout this year my class has been through a lot of teachers, never settling on one subject in English. Then Ms. Armour came in, and I was able to learn how to write an essay for FCAT. So, when I went to take the FCAT Writing this year, I felt like I had accomplished a perfect paper before I had even written anything. That’s because Ms. Armour taught me how to write.”

“This year in my English class I have had a very inconsistent learning experience. It is only when Ms. Armour’s around that we got anything done. She was the one to finally pull something of a schedule together. Even though students may complain about her, I believe she has done her best to keep us going. She has brought an interesting style with an overall positive attitude to this classroom and I hope she will be able to teach again this coming school year.”

“I think Ms. Armour is a great teacher. I learned a lot in her class. I think she is a very well-rounded person and her teaching style is great. Yes, it has been a pretty crazy year with her leaving and stuff. With that put aside I think all together I really learned a lot in this class. I think she is a great teacher and should continue teaching at Key West High.”

“I have learned how to write persuasive essays that could really change someone's mind on a topic. I have learned to write a speech and give an oral presentation. Ms. Armour has really impacted my life in a good way and I hope she can be here next year to teach more kids her methods.”

“Ms. Armour has taught us a lot over the short period of time that she has been our teacher. Without her, my writing skills wouldn’t have improved, and I wouldn’t have done as well on the FCAT. I am very grateful that she was our teacher and that I had the opportunity to learn from her.”

“Ms. Armour’s class has shown us her culture and taught us to be confident. In the beginning she taught us a new writing method that was better than the Jane Shaffer method.”

“This year I’ve learned so many things in Ms. Armour’s class. From essay writing to speeches, it was totally awesome! To describe Ms. Armour there are so many words. She is really cool, down to Earth, caring, and most importantly---understanding. Her teaching method is unbelievable. She teaches us things we actually get. It is a teaching method that not all teachers have. At first when we started writing, I just wanted to cry; I hated doing her assignments. But after a while, I totally started to understand why we did those. It made me a better writer. Because of her writing method, I passed my FCAT Writing test with a 5. Ms. Armour not only taught us how to speak in public, but to have self-confidence. She told us to speak with pride and to not be shy. That was one of my greatest fears until she showed me how and I did it for myself. This is one teacher you can’t get rid of because we need her!”

“This year in Ms. Armour’s class I have learned multiple things. I have learned to be confident, how to write, read at a higher level, and countless other things. I feel that Ms. Armour is a great teacher and can really teach while keeping it real.”

“Ms. Armour makes the classroom a fun and great learning environment. Her writing method really helped me develop a better and more complex writing style. Overall, she is a wonderful and awesome teacher willing to do everything to give us our education the way we want it.”

“Out of all the teachers we had in this class all year, Ms. Armour has been the best. She has helped us with our confidence and speaking in front of people. She has taught me so much about writing and helped me improve tremendously. I think the students who have complained just didn’t understand some of her ways in teaching or had some problem with her because to me and the rest of my class she has been an amazing teacher.”

“This class is fun but at the same time a little challenging. Ms. Armour is a wonderful teacher. She has big plans for what we can learn. With her help she has helped me pass the FCAT Writes and FCAT Reading. Ms. Armour is a splendid teacher and does a great job teaching students who want to learn. I recommend you keeping her as one of Key West High School’s English teachers.”
“Ms. Armour has been a great teacher. She taught us how to write a better essay. She would get in front of the class to sing or dance, showing us that there is nothing to be ashamed of and to be yourself.”

“In Ms. Armour’s class, I have been learning about her writing method and it is very helpful. It took me to a point that my writing has become so strong and powerful, using a greater vocabulary than before. During the FCAT I used her method and it made me confident about how to write an essay. I know I did a terrific job. She taught me how to be more open when doing public speaking. That is teaching. If a student says they are not learning, they don’t want to learn or they are not paying attention to what she is teaching.”

“This whole year we have been through a lot of change with different teachers. We were all getting really frustrated since Ms. R--- left us. We were constantly off track. Then out of nowhere a different teacher came who was not like other teachers. We took her as a joke at first and then we realized that she was just making a difference. She showed us that no matter where you are from you can make something of yourself. Her name is Ms. Armour and I honestly believe that we have learned more from her than any sub. I think that she should get credit for coming into a class that was behind and disorganized, and turning it around even though she was absent due to her mother’s death and having a baby. That is what I would consider a good teacher!”

“Ms. Armour has taught me as a student and even more as an individual. I’ve grown so much due to Ms. Armour’s class. My ability to write essays is so much stronger because of her knowledge on that subject. The way she opens up and informs her students about her past and who she is, makes learning easy and fun. Not many teachers try to get to know the kids they are trying to teach. By doing this, it helps students open up and have the desire to learn. Ms. Armour has a passion for speech and entertainment. I would have to say, she has a talent to talk and have people listen to her. She uses her voice in such a way that I have never seen or heard. She’s confident in everything she does and it shows immensely. I leave her class with my head high and my confidence even stronger.”

“My time in Ms. Armour's class has been pleasing and definitely time worthy. I have been through many things and realized many talents I possess. I have learned a new and creative way to properly write an essay and it’s very productive. I have also learned magnificent tips on doing presentations and speeches. Ms. Armour is a very energetic and uplifting person. I have grown to enjoy reading as I have found many reading selections very interesting.”

“I feel very strongly about Ms. Armour’s teaching methods. I strongly believe that she has made a huge impact on the students in her class. I personally have learned a great deal from Ms. Armour. When she began teaching English II, I was horrible at writing an essay on any topic. Ms. Armour taught us a method that greatly changed that. I now have dynamic writing skills and I know for a fact that I passed the writing FCAT. Another thing Ms. Armour taught us was speech. She got in front of the classroom and performed two poems. The way she got into character and performed inspired me to do something like that. Now I work harder every day to become better. She gave me the confidence I needed to be a motivated speaker and still have fun at it. I also helped Ms. Armour outside of school to raise money to help children become better writers. I feel that she is doing a great thing by creating a program for writing. Overall, she has taught me so much in the short time she’s been here. I look forward to her class every day. In everything she teaches she has a fun way to do it. I really respect her teaching method and strongly feel it is effective.”

“I started the school year with Ms. E-----, then switched to Ms. R----‘s class. When she left, my class went through many different substitutes, and each time I thought they would be my new teacher. Then Ms. Armour came and when we realized that she would be the replacement, I thought, how can she be our English teacher when she doesn’t even speak proper English herself? At first, I thought she was a bit lazy, but that was just because she was really pregnant. She left on maternity leave, and we had to get used to another teacher for a while. Then when Ms. Armour returned, she was a whole different person! Not only did she look different, but now she was lively and interactive. When Ms. Armour performed several monologues for my class, my opinion of her changed. Now I saw her as an intelligent and talented person. Then she danced for us, and we realized that she could be fun, too… Overall, I think Ms. Armour is a good teacher.”

“I was a new student starting on the first day on the second semester. Ms. Armour was on maternity leave but she was back shortly. She taught and prepared us for the FCAT Writes, and I can say the many exercises and practices she gave us, especially her advice, has helped me become a better writer. After the FCAT, we started The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. We learned about her philosophies and my favorite lesson of the whole semester was during this time. We learned about the mind, subconscious and superconscious. I really enjoyed this lesson and I’ve become interested in psychology because of it. Recently her mother died but upon her return we started a speech project. We were unmotivated and not confident about this project, but after she spoke, sang, and danced for our class we gained confidence about speaking. Ms. Armour has made an impact on my English education and I would just like to thank her.”

“Ms. Armour is one of a kind! You can’t get a good teacher like her around these parts! She does everything by the book, and she makes learning fun, but serious at the same time. She is the kind of teacher that children would want to come to school for. She makes students want to learn. Personally, I don’t like learning the old fashion way. I am tired of teachers being boring, but Ms. Armour is not a boring teacher. I have learned to become a good essay writer, a sufficient reader, and a user of big vocabulary. BAM! Bet you don’t know where that came from. That is called a hook—something that Ms. Armour taught us. Bet you didn’t see that coming! That was just a taste of the good things she has taught us. Letting go of a good teacher is not a good idea. Make a good decision for the sake of the higher education of our students.”

“Ms. Armour has come through a lot to get where she is today, and I think she deserves her position. One of the first things she did when she became our new English teacher was explain to us her background which was, needless to say, pretty rough. She rose above that and started her own successful English writing program, which I think is what should be highlighted. I have learned a lot of valuable stuff in her class that no other English teacher of mine has ever attempted to teach me. From the writing system that she developed to the books we have read, Ms. Armour deserves a chance.”

“Before Ms. Armour came, I didn’t know anything about English. I've learned how to write paragraphs, how to speak in public, and how to recite poetry. We need a teacher who knows how to break stuff down about English. It would make a lot of students happy if she would stay.”

“Ms. Armour is a very real person, especially in the way she teaches---incorporating cultures and experiences into what would be boring work. The thing I have learned best is speaking in front of a crowd. I have learned to build my confidence. To me, that is one of the best skills to acquire.”

“In my opinion, having multiple teachers this year has made it hard for my classmates to give respect to people who just get thrown into the position of being a sub, giving orders and sitting on the computer while we have to do book work. But Ms. Armour changed up everything and tried to make class work interesting and fun! We love Ms. Armour!”

“Don’t fire Ms. Armour because she is a great teacher. She hasn’t given up on me like other teachers have. She has helped me to read and write. She is a great person and a wonderful teacher. I have learned so much in her class that I’ve never learned to do in other classes.”

“This year in English was very hard and our class wasn’t the best. We had a lot of different teachers and I wasn’t learning anything. Finally, Ms. Armour came and at first we were really bad. As time went on we all thought, this is our teacher, so we have to make it the best.” In so little time I learned a lot. I learned how to write a great essay. I also learned how to get up and do a speech. She is a very nice person and she got our class to stopping and working.”

“Ms. Armour is a great teacher! In the first half of the year our teacher, Ms. R---- left because she was tired of us, then we had a sub until October. We were all rude and tried to get rid of her like we did Ms. R-----, but she never gave up. In fact, we learned. She has helped me out a lot even through the hard times she had with her family. No matter what, she cared about her students first. She is my favorite teacher and I’m sure she is other’s favorite too. I believe that if she stays she could help many more.”

“Our English class was really LOUD until Ms. Armour came along. She knew how to teach the kids to be less noisy and how to stay quiet. Thank you Jesus! She has taught me how to write great essays and how to speak my mind—like right now. She taught me how to sing and to do speeches in public without messing up. Now it would be very hard on me to see a wonderful teacher like her leave. Since I came to school I notice all the really interactive teachers have been let go because of what students are telling their parents. She is not mean, but does her job right. She does all she can because she cares.”

“Ms. Armour taught us her writing method, which deeply improved my writing skills. She has also advanced my level of speech and made me more confident to stand in front of a crowd. Although Ms. Armour was absent continuously throughout the year, whenever she returned she cracked the whip. Ms. Armour is not only a good teacher because of her teaching style, but because of her attitude and behavior management method. If you were to walk into Ms. Armour’s classroom and look at her wall, you would notice two charts. One of the charts talks about how you should be a key player, the other is her style of discipline. Everyone always has her back when she’s feeling down. Ms. Armour is a pretty organized teacher who is well on her way to being an asset to Key West High School.”

“Through all the time we’ve spent in this class, we’ve encountered several teachers. I feel the teacher who has done the best job is Ms. Armour. She has a way of teaching that gets our attention and we not only learn how to write great essays or read better, but she teaches us about how to overcome obstacles in life and self-confidence. It’s great how open-minded our class discussions are because it’s the fun of it that keeps us motivated. Sometimes we forget she’s our teacher because it’s like she’s one of us. Don’t get confused though, she can be a little strict sometimes, but only when necessary. We need more teachers like her. We have definitely learned a lot from her.”

“Ms. Armour is very smooth and very disciplined. I think she can teach. Also, she loves her job and she loves working with us. I think it is very important to have a teacher like Ms. Armour.”

“This English class has gone through a lot of change this year. We went from Ms. R---- to several subs, then Ms. Armour (who had to take a maternity leave). Basically, we’ve had no stability or solidity in our English learning this year. I personally did manage to learn a great deal from Ms. Armour. She taught us how to write a perfect FCAT Writes essay, and I am sure I got a 6 on mine. When we did speeches, me and 2 friends did a video project (and we had some pretty embarrassing things on there), but it made me less afraid of public speaking, and more comfortable with my classmates. I am also happy with Ms. Armour’s teaching method. Although learning was tough, Ms. Armour helped us a lot.”

“In Ms. Armour’s class, I have learned different strategies for writing essays. I feel that her system helped me to prepare for the FCAT Writing test. In one assignment, we were required to write and present a speech on drug prevention. By presenting this speech, I was able to hone in on my speaking skills. It is easy to say that I did indeed learn something in Ms. Armour’s class.”

“My time in Ms. Armour’s class has been a great experience. I learned how to write properly in a fun environment such as the one Ms. Armour provided for me. I have never had this much fun learning. She showed me the importance of volunteerism and how to go up to random people, getting them to donate money to a program they knew nothing about. Most of all she taught me to be myself, relax, and don’t let anybody stop your hustle.”

“Over the time, Ms. Armour has been here I have learned about Ayn Rand’s philosophies and axioms. Not only that but how to do a successful speech in front of an audience. I can also say she taught me how to write a perfect essay.”

“Ms. Armour has a different teaching style. I learned so much about essay writing. She made learning fun; I actually wanted to go to her class. I learned that everyone is different and to be open-minded to people I don’t know. I can confidently give a speech about almost anything. Whether I know what I am talking about or not, people would believe me. I can write an essay and it is so much better than the first one I wrote.”

“Ms. Armour has helped me become a stronger, more confident writer.”

“Ms. Armour is a really good teacher, hands down. I learned a lot from her, such as writing a good essay and constructing compound sentences. She is a very intelligent teacher with many talents. She is one teacher and class I look forward to coming to.”

“I have acquired a great education in Ms. Armour’s class. I learned how to improve my essays by using the I-Control Power-Write method. Ms. Armour gave us speeches to do which helped with my self-confidence. She even went in front of the class and recited a few speeches perfectly. She also tells us about her culture and where she comes from. I have fun in her class, but also learn. Ms. Armour is funny, educated, confident and nice.”

A Letter to Educators

2008-08-26T12:29:00.001-07:00

Dear Educator:

We are teachers, not dentists, yet it seems as if we are pulling teeth in order to get our children to write. How many times have you asked your students to write an essay and they ask, “how long does it have to be?” They want to know the precise number of pages, paragraphs, sentences or words, yet sometimes we are unsure ourselves. We reply, “a page is fine,” as if this was a determining factor as to the quality of the essay they write. As educators we must focus on the quality of the essay, not necessarily the quantity. We’ve all seen a 5 paragraph essay poorly written, and a paragraph well written. So how do you find the balance between quality and quanity? We know that standardized tests measure holistic quality, yet we also know that a well-organized essay should contain many elements which cannot be acomplished in one or two paragraphs.

“My kids are behind several grade levels, so I just accpet the fact that they tried.” That is an excuse, and a foolish belief. “I’ve tried this method and that method, this book and that book, but the same or similar results reappear.” You question your ability to teach the skill of writing. In fact, when you think back to your school days you don’t really remember how you learned to write; it was sort of picked up instinctively. We had English teachers who carried a yard stick, waiting to whack our backsides if we did not write properly. Remember diagraming sentences? To this day I wonder why this was necessary. There are so many grammar rules; many don’t make sense to me. I can’t explain why the rule exists, I just know we have to follow this rule.

So, what are we to do about our children who cannot read or write? My question to you ---can they talk? We pick up oral language before written language, so this is the bridge to commendable writing. The key to motivating kids to write is to break everything down into little, tiny, digestible parts, while mastering one skill at a time. Can a 2nd grader write a 5 paragraph essay? Several 1st graders have used the i Control Method, producing a five paragraph essay. When you teach that child how to write one sentence at a time, then you will discover that you can teach them to write 5 paragraphs. The child can speak in a full sentence, right? Ask the child to repeat the sentence aloud several times in order to memorize it. Afterwards, have the child to write the sentence down phonetically. Maybe you can’t decipher the words, but they certainly can! This is the beginning of a beautiful journey to commendable writing. You have to show how every sentence is connected to the paragraph, and how every paragraph is connected to the essay. Kids need to see how things work and the relationships between ideas. They will discover how to use the appropriate transitional phrases and why they are crucial to writing a perfect essay.

I trained teachers who informed me that their students have never heard the term, “thesis statement.” They call it the “bun,” or “number 1.” They call it everything except it’s proper name, as if though they are incapable of comprehending such a term. High expectations are necessary for the success of any student. Trust that they will comprehend as long as you consistently label it the exact same way every time they complete a new essay. Don’t give it a “baby” name, watering down correct terminology. You wouldn’t call a tree an apple or an ant a fly. When we place low expectations for what students can learn, we fail to educate our children to their fullest capacity. I understand symbolism, but I don’t understand teachers who are resistant to transitioning students from “baby talk” to academic language.

The i Control Writing Program is designed to assist you with helping your students through the writing process. Although this process almost eliminates brainstorming, which is beat over our heads until we see stars, the method allows kids to organize their thoughts while creating meaningful relationship between ideas. By examining model essays using the same method, they are able to simulate or imitate great sentence structure. Some may be opposed to “structred” writing, but students must understand the basic structure of a 5 paragraph essay before they can move forward to experimentation with new ideas. By providing multiple opportunities to practice a variety of essays on diferent topics while using the same method, students begin to immediately see the connections between thesis statement, topic sentences, concluding statements, and supporting details. They will become exceptionally creative when writing a hook; after all, there are 8 different types of hooks to choose from. The more stuudents practice, the more automatic their writing will become. i Control Writing is about building a foundation for success, allowing students to find their voice while thinking creatively and critically. As they listen to one another’s sentences read aloud, or proofread a friend’s essay they will “borrow” ideas, tossing out the weak for the strong. This is a learning process that must be encouraged and nurtured.

Writing is a sensitive subject. When we write, we worry about what others will think of our ideas. We wonder if people agree or disagree with our position. It exposes how we really feel, so it can be a very intimidating process for students. We must be careful about editing our student’s essays. I am not opposed to editing a student’s writing, I just prefer peer or self-editing over red ink. We sometimes become so obsessed with what children do with their words rather than what they say with them. Always compliment children when they do things correctly and ask them to clarify when necessary. I remember crying when my teacher corrected my journal. I thought it was private and should be left “as is.” She respected my opinion and never marked on my journal again. When kids see red ink all over their essays after they have poured their heart and soul into their writing, it becomes very discouraging. There are alternative ways to encourage proper grammar, mechanics and usage.

We have an important job to accomplish. Probably the most important job in the world. I would like to encourage you to continue pushing children forward, stretching the limits. Every child is capable of learning how to write effectively. It is foolish to believe that your gifted students are “too advanced” to use a writing program, or your low-performing are “too far behind.” As you will see in our before and after essays, i Control Writing takes students to new levels, challenging old assumptions and establishing a foundation for growth. Commendable writing is on the other side of the rainbow, as long as students are given models to follow and opportunities to practice. Growth will come in time. I look forward to meeting and working with you in the near future.

Sincerely,
Rachel Kenyata Armour, Creator
Choices i Control Academic Program, Inc.

Forced Out By Hurricane Fay

2008-08-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

“Mandatory Keys Visitor Evacuation Begins at 8 a.m. Sunday for Fay” is the exact headline I read on Keys Tourism Advisory #3. This advisory depicted a graphic of the path of the Tropical Storm Fay, and a synopsis of the event. The synopsis states, “We hate to inconvenience those visitors that had plans to be in the Keys the next few days, but their wellbeing is our top priority. We certainly hope they return in the near future,” by Monroe County Mayor Mario Di Gennaro. I picked up this advisory, which was slid underneath my hotel room door. I had temporarily moved into the hotel a week earlier awaiting renovations on an apartment I was supposed to move in Tuesday of this week. I was in between leases and decided that a hotel would be a better alternative than living on the street with my 8-month-old baby boy.

Five minutes later, the hotel manager called on the hotel phone. He told me that I had until 11:00 a.m. to evacuate from the hotel, and I must take my belongings with me. I explained that this hotel was my only alternative, and that I would have no family or friends in the region. In fact, my closest relatives live in Lansing, Michigan. There was a sense of urgency in his voice. I asked him if he expected me to physically move heavy boxes of academic textbooks and office equipment from my writing program, while caring for a baby, and within an hour. He told me he didn’t care about what I did with it, and that every person in the hotel must evacuate. He did not offer an alternative hotel or transportation service; he told me I should call my place of employment, another hotel chain.

I worked as an off premise contact (OPC) to book timeshare tours for a hotel chain in Key West. This was a temporary job because I was intending to return to the teaching profession this fall. The 25% teacher turnover rate guarantees that a teaching job is always available in October after the teacher would have folded from class management problems or high living expenses. Key West is certainly a town that caters to the tourists. Many of the area hotels refuse to rent to local residents; I’ve had a personal experience with that. Obviously, this hotel manager did not care about anything but evacuating every visitor from the hotel. I even called my boss and he wished me well on my journey because he understood the magnitude of the event. He even commented about how he could be forced to evacuate because his car tags were out of state. He told me to contact him when I arrived in a safe location. He was new to his position, and had moved there three weeks before he hired me.

At that point, I knew that I had to think about the safety of my baby--especially after watching Spike Lee’s documentary on Hurricane Katrina. I know that flooding could cause alligators and sharks to swim in the streets that were once safe to walk. I know that people could be stranded for days or weeks without adequate food or water. I know that people could be gasping for air inside a flooded apartment or stuck in a tree. I remember a woman losing her child and the pain she felt as she had no choice but to let go of her daughter’s hand. I remember women holding babies they could not feed formula to because there was no sanitary running water. I could never put my child’s life in jeopardy, especially when I am complying with the law. Many of these people ignored “mandatory evacuation” for many reasons. They want to physically protect their businesses and personal property. They had no financial options. They know that looters exploit the hurricane season, but I ask why is materialism more important than human life? I left behind all of the materials from my writing program, Choices i Control. I didn’t know if everything was going to be underwater or safe from burglars. I cared more about my three children who needed a mother to care for them. If I didn’t have children, then maybe I would take this type of risk. There was no choice but for me to go to the only safe place I know, Lansing, Michigan, my hometown.

I was the first person in line at the Greyhound Bus Station. I waited 7 hours inside the bus station at the Key West International Airport. The bus station was packed with people from all over the world. I met a couple from Kansas City, Missouri who were on their honeymoon. In fact, there were quite a few couples on their honeymoons. They were so disappointed, but some were optimistic, stating that at least they will never forget this moment. There was a group of six girl college students from England. It was delightful to hear all of the various foreign accents in the station. Most of the tourists were friendly, but many had a blank stare on their faces in disbelief. We were all jittery, pacing about, and contacting relatives on the telephone. I so happened to step outside to talk to my Dad on the telephone. All of a sudden, a strong wind swept through, and nearly knocked my baby stroller down the ramp. The palm tree was waving, and the rain poured down. It stung my skin and I immediately retreated inside the bus station. The man at the ticket counter was obviously under pressure due to the state of emergency. He made an announcement that everyone is not guaranteed a seat on the bus. He explained that we would board the bus according to the date and time of purchase, regardless if you reserved the ticket. It would be a first come first service basis.

There were a few local residents aboard the Greyhound Bus. There was my former student from PACE Center for Girls, and a Niquaraguan ESOL student from the high school where I taught. There was a woman who lived in Bahama Village who I recognized. She was an older lady in her 70s, and she sat calmly in the front seat clutching her black purse. After everyone was seated, there were about 25 people standing outside. The bus driver explained that a Greyhound Bus was on U.S. 1 but would not arrive until 3 hours later. He gave them two options. Stand up on the bus until we arrive in Miami, or wait for the other bus. Every person boarded that bus to safety. No one left their lives in the hands of Greyhound. Afterall, the bus could break down; the bus I was riding through Gainesville, Florida had a transmission problem and we were left stranded for 3 and a half hours. I never realized that Tropical Storm Fay would affect Northern Florida or Georgia, the same states I rode through to get to Lansing, Michigan.
At the bus stations, people were under stress, anxiously awaiting their connecting buses. People were arguing with bus staff, and bus staff was hostile at times. They were under stress as the evacuation was underway. I tried to sleep through most of the the bus ride, which took two and a half days to complete. I had to change my baby at the rest stops, and purchase bottled water to mix formula. At times I had to breastfeed my baby, realizing that I could possibly run out of formula.

There was absolutely no room to move on the ride through Florida. The bus was quiet for the most part, as people prayed to reach safety. It was raining the entire time, and the wind was blowing so hard the bus felt like it would flip over. We were swerving trying to fight the wind. The bus driver on the way through Gainesville continued to make stops, once at a gas station, another time near a factory. He looked under the hood, then tried to start the bus. The bus kept cutting off every time he attempted to start it. At that point the bus driver walked across the street. He had to stand inside of some sheds that were for sale on the opposite side of the road. The wind was too high to even make a cell phone call. I exited the bus and looked at the sky. The clouds were dark and plentiful. It definitely looked like a devastating storm was on the way. I was confused because I thought the mandatory evacuation was with the Florida Keys only.
The entire time, the bus driver did not communicate with the passengers about what was going on. He just kept making phone calls. Eventually, one of the passengers asked him what was going on with the bus. He finally told us that a bus was coming from Jacksonville and may take up to 3 hours. I thought that the delay would cause me to miss my connecting bus in Atlanta, Georgia, but I realized I had a 4 hour layover there. Many people were worried about getting home on time. There were three Mexican construction workers, who told me that their boss in Big Pine Key wanted them to return to work. They were on their way to the headquarters in Atlanta to find a new location. I didn’t have contact with anyone about the conditions of the storm. All I knew is that I wanted to be safe and sound at home in Lansing, Michigan.

I wanted to stay in Key West, and had many obstacles to living in the region. Despite the challenges, I continued to teach grant writing to non-profit professionals, and essay writing to K-12 students, free of charge. I came to Key West on a mission to help children. I had a special place in my heart for the children of Bahama Village, a disadvantaged community in Key West. I loved working with the kids there and have especially developed a bond with my students. I vow to treat every human being with respect, regardless of age, ethnicity, religion, education, or sexual orientation. One thing I thank Lansing, Michigan for is helping me to remove the lenses of judgment from my eyes. Coming from the Robert Taylor projects on the South side of Chicago, I had major issues with perception. When I moved to Lansing in 1995, I was pushed to the next level. I started to believe in myself and my ability to succeed at anything I set my mind to do. As a 2004 Teach for America corps member, I developed a writing system in my Houston classroom. Once I realized how effective it has consistently been in helping kids become commendable writers, I decided to market my program to schools across the nation. Despite significant obstacles in my life, I have three beautiful kids I owe everything to. My children are my life, and my career is my heart. I will never give up my mission to help every child in this nation learn to write commendably. I know that without my ability to write, I would not be where I am today.

I will not allow Tropical Storm Fay or any being on this Earth to stop me from achieving my goals. I will return to Florida when the time is right, even though Key West was not affected as much as expected. I did not wish to put my life and my kids’ lives in jeopardy because of material gain. I have been in a tornado before that hit Xenia, Ohio and remember the blackout and ambulances escorting fainted victims to the hospital, which was running on generators. That was during my matriculation at Wilberforce University, Ohio. I graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in mass media communications. I have owned a motivational speaking company since the age of 15, and am recipient of over 100 awards and honors in my lifetime. I am a hardworking woman and will never give up the fight for equality in education for every American child. I know what it is like to live in roach infested apartments, witness brains being blown out at close range, dodge bullets from drive-by shootings. I know what education can do for a disadvantaged youth. Tropical Storm Fay has caused devastation like no one has ever seen. Why take a risk with my life and my child’s life, when I was clearly given two choices. Choice #1: Evacuate from this hotel and live under a bridge with my baby. Choice #2: Evacuate from this hotel and board the Greyhound bus to the safest place I know. Not everyone was able to get out of Florida. I made the right choice.

Rachel Kenyata Armour
CEO, Choices i Control Academic Program, Inc.
Kenyata.truth@choicesicontrol.com