Ruth Garcia:
CLASS OF 1978
Jenison High SchoolClass of 1978
Jenison, MI
Grand Valley State UniversityClass of 1983
Allendale, MI
Rosewood Elementary SchoolClass of 1972
Jenison, MI
Jenison Christian SchoolClass of 1971
Jenison, MI
Southwest Christian SchoolClass of 1970
Grand rapids, MI
Ruth's Story
Life
Married, but wish I wasn't. Two great kids, boy 17 and girl 15. Baseball player and dancer/musician. Two dogs, big and protective. Finally got a nice house with two stories so I can rise above the threatening floods we often get. We've survived my daughter having cancer and idiot school baseball coaches breaking my son's finger. He's had two pro tryouts anyway. I've expanded my teaching to include ESL and I function quite well in Spanish now.
School
I have bad memories of school. Especially high school. The drug dealers made my life miserable. I didn't get opportunities to do much because I wasn't a popular or pretty person. If you're someone from JHS that was cute and in the "in" crowd, shame on you. You guys were heartless. I gave my attention to friends and people outside of school. (Helping with Special Olympics and handicapped people.) The only good part was Mr. Bartman and band. I remember naming the contra base clarinets Henry and Henrietta and yelling out in band one day that Henry's "rubber" had flown off. Mr. Bartman just looked back and stifled a laugh. He was cooler than we all thought and we didn't ...Expand for more
give him the credit or respect he deserved. I remember a band trip to Tennessee and watching a child, that never moved or responded to anything, tap and wiggled to the beat of the drums. It moved the nursing staff to tears. That meant something.
College
There's not much to say except the GVSC did the job. I was prepared to get out there and do my job and people from there are respected here in Texas.
Workplace
I worked a lot of group home hours through college and after. Taught in Houston two years and returned to Michigan swearing I wouldn't go back. I didn't like some of the illegal activities of my principal, and I was frustrated with coworkers that didn't have the skills to pass basic proficiency tests (those from Texas, not from the north). I was disgusted with the education system here. In Michigan, got bumped out of a job by the union. Worked group homes again, taught English in the apple orchards and ran a Migrant Day Care Center in Holland. Met my husband and returned to Texas. I'm still disgusted with the education system; but I do my part to make it better. I now teach 3rd grade ESL students.
Military
none
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