Teachers quietly help kids in need

I was listening to a recent presentation about what’s being done to help local homeless high school students, and learned — not surprising to me — that many teachers throughout the Flathead Valley quietly use their own money to buy socks and other necessities for these needy students.

Teachers, guidance counselors and other school officials come face to face with students in need every day and their selfless generosity most often is doled out under the radar. They’ve perfected the art of helping without humiliating these less-fortunate youngsters.

Several area schools are setting up food pantries, makeshift clothes closets and other assistance programs to make sure students have food and basic necessities. It astounds me that we have hundreds of teenagers who don’t have beds to call their own.

While this seems to be a growing problem, whether due to economic hardship, abuse or neglect, there have always been children in need in our country.

Sometimes it hits close to home and you don’t even realize it. I was under the false assumption that my hometown was immune to poverty when I was growing up there. From my narrow view of life in rural Minnesota, everyone seemed to have enough. About 80 percent of the members of my graduating class were dairy farmers’ kids in the same socio-economic class.

But I learned for the first time at my 40th class reunion this summer how our band teacher, Mr. Siverson, had inconspicuously helped two of my friends. And there were no doubt others he also helped.

I was blown away when “Susie” confided four decades later that Mr. Siverson had given her rides home from after-school band practice on many occasions because her parents couldn’t afford the gas money to shuttle her back and forth.

When Susie was elected to a top post in the Future Homemakers of America organization, she panicked and thought about declining the opportunity because she didn’t have the money to buy the dress she needed for the induction ceremony. After 40 years, her voice was trembling as she shared this very private information.

Mr. Siverson also quietly bought a shirt for a boy in my class who didn’t have appropriate attire for his graduation photo. He gave this student rides home from band practice, too. And I discovered for the first time that this boy had a very abusive childhood.

How could I have been so oblivious to these fellow students’ needs? These kids weren’t homeless, but even so, it was this very special teacher — already beloved in my eyes — who took action.

I learned during the recent presentation about homeless teens that these kids go to great lengths to appear as if everything is normal in their lives. They’re masters at blending in, just as my two friends had been.

My gratitude is deep and heartfelt for teachers like Mr. Siverson and others who see kids in need and do something about it. They’re angels among us.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.