My hero is actually my mother, Sharon Sandler. I have noticed over the past 3 years that she works amazingly hard to help kids that without help or guidance might loose what they are able to achieve. The fact that she is my mother and I see her on a daily basis has nothing to do with the fact that I chose to interview her. She is an amazing person.
She is the Student Assistance Coordinator at Hartford Adult Education and a mother to 5 children. She works to assist her student s their problems such as finding a job, housing, alcoholism, lack of food, drug addiction, young parents, necessary clothing, abuse, college, or health insurance situations. She also works with sexual assault and domestic violence situations. She decided to work at HAE because she was brought up in Hartford and wanted to work with as well as give back to kids in Hartford.She loves having the opportunity to help her students. She dislikes not being able to help everybody, this is hard for her. The easiest part is the fact that she loves each and every one of her students.
Her job is amazingly hectic. “Kid s are always waiting for me and asking for my help.”
She takes part in a few other programs. She is starting a peer-mediation program at HAE. She is a part of the Hartford region YWCA sexual assault crisis service. She works with CPA (Community Partners in Action), an anger management program that provides monitoring of kids instead of jail time. She also works with Yo Hartford as well as the Artist Collective. She wants to start a shelter for young girls in Hartford.
She has only been working at HAE for 3 years, but has made an amazing impact. She has been awarded “Staff Person of the Year.”
When I asked my mother if she thought her job was a Community service her only response was “I hope that it is.”
salami (screen name) - 15
Bloomfield, CT
White
Miss Porter’ s School
In my community I like my home, my friends, my family, the public schools such as BHS and Carmen Arace, our library, and our fairly new movie theater. I dislike only a few things about my community such as some problems with the STD rate and teenage birth rate. I dislike how many people in my community feel it is ok to trash the town.
I belong to ALYC, Watu Wazuri
I found I liked photography while taking Photography 1 during my freshman year at MPS.
I thought this project would be a good experience to practice photo and meet new friends with similar interests. I also like the community activism aspect of this project.
Because of this project I have a better understanding of some of the true heroes in our Hartford area. I found ways to be an activist in my community. I made friends with amazing leaders around my neighborhood. These people have done things I could only dream of doing. I loved going into my community and meeting people that have changed where I live for the better. I have a better understanding of what it means to be a community activist now that I have had the privilege of meeting some of the worthiest leaders. This is someone that is taking action to change their community, not because they are being paid large amounts of money or being offered some kind of reward, because they are passionate about making where they live a better place.
I loved doing photography and working with the younger girls from public schools. The girls from Hartford and Bristol have made this experience worthwhile. They are great photographers and friends.
I believe that if you have a passion for change, do not stop trying just because someone may not like your idea.
Sharon Sandler
Other photos by salami
Clothespins
rat
