One morning, this eleventh-grader finally agrees with her mother to graduate early and go on to college.
Background
Emma Clark is sixteen, goes to her district’s public high school. She is an active contributor to the school newspaper. When students dress elegantly, Emma takes pictures of them in the hallway, with their permission, for her section in the paper. Her favorite topic? Fashion. She also keeps scores during sports games, rents a table during entrepreneurship fairs during which students, their parents, teachers and staff sell various types of items, one Saturday in the Spring every year. In a word, Emma is an outgoing, social person.
How the Adventure Started.
Emma was not from that Long Island’s Suffolk district, originally. She came from another New York county. When she finished middle school, the education department assigned her to an entity that was miles away in Brooklyn and that would require her to take daily round trips Westward from Queens that included riding one bus and two subway trains. Meanwhile, her divorced mother would go to work by car in the opposite direction at the border line of Nassau and Suffolk counties. During the summer, they simply moved from Queens to Suffolk. Emma kept wondering during that transition time what her high school peers and life were going to be like. She would have gone to a different county to school anyway, had they remained in their old apartment near JFK airport. The changes happened smoothly and the first day of school was not that terrible, after all.
Perfection does not Exist. Emma, during her middle school years, though friendly, did use to run into frustrating discussions with that one boy who always wanted to be right. That was David Miles, an opinionated person who always had a say about political issues, decision-making matters at school, etiquette for students - girls and boys alike, etc. Emma and David would not always agree, and the news came unexpectedly, as they were talking one day, that David was moving to the same city Emma and her mother were going to go. What! Emma, who thought she already had enough to worry about with her future new school environment, realized suddenly she was going to have to endure David’s company at her new school for more years to come.
The Absent Hero. There was Emma surfing the Internet, watching YouTube Videos to find comments about high school tips and tricks. She learned that she had to blend in. It also seemed like she had to dress more like a self-confident teenager, and not like a child hardly leaving childhood anymore. She got money from her father to buy herself a new wardrobe, shoes, and boots. That was one way she found that she would ensure she knew she was well-dressed every day. She did not want to feel self-conscious.
THREE, TWO, ONE…gO!
The Decisive Moment. Emma and Lydia (the mother) went everywhere together by car. On their way to the supermarket one Saturday, in February, Emma turns left to her mother from the front passenger seat to confide that she felt she wanted to trust the process of starting the graduating early plan that her mother invited her to consider months earlier.
Lydia is in her thirties. She cannot contain her joy and starts describing the benefits of her teenager’s predisposition to her daughter (looking smart on her résumé later, surrounding herself with mature people, earning her Associate’s degree in one year while her classmates get their high school diploma, saving time and money with those two years gained overall in her studies, etc.) as well as the challenges (no going out in the summer, no beach or vacation trips) that would come along with that, without forgetting to initiate a discussion about the conditions (self-motivation and discipline, the visualization of success) that could make this project a reality.
Lydia: Emma, this is the best thing I could hear today! What motivated you?
Emma: Last week, I started to think about the possibilities you mentioned and the differences that graduating early could make in my life by going to college right away. Getting ahead, I agree, is something desirable that is going to be worth my while, mom. Then, this morning when I woke up, I said to myself, what have I got to lose? (Turns on the car radio. Miley Cyrus is singing the climb.)
♪Emma joins in softly ♫.
Lydia: Darling, I guess you are giving me some mom-work to do but I will need your help. How about we start the process right away by my paying a visit to your principal to find out what to do? And then, I will ask that you see your advisors to bring me the necessary documentation home.
Emma: I am happy and scared at the same time, mummy. I cannot describe how I am feeling right now. I am thinking: “oh, did I just say that I was getting on board with mom’s idea!”
Making it Happen. As mother and daughter arrive at the supermarket, the former grabs her mobile phone from her purse to call her ex-husband with whom she starts a cordial conversation. Emma can only hear her mother’s words and quickly catches on: her parents are talking about summer college-level classes for her that he might have to fund. Emma can hardly contain her curiosity as she asks: “Is the deal in the bag?” Her mom shows a generous smile and goes: YES!
End of August. The duo is on their way to Emma’s high school for a special reason. Emma got a telephone call two days before. The secretary congratulated her for completing the required courses as they just received her final transcript. Emma’s high school diploma was ready for pick-up, so she could have time to enroll at her community college. Emma is happy her efforts paid off. She is starting to realize that when school reopens, she is not going back with her classmates.
Emma: Mummy? Should I tell my friends about this or let them find out?
Lydia: I think you are going to have to tell your best friend, David, soon. It is better that he hears what is going on from you.
Emma: It has been hard not saying anything because I was wondering if everything would happen as anticipated. I am just afraid that he might think I should have said something earlier.
Lydia: Baby girl, how about you just tell him the truth? Let him know you wanted to be sure before speaking. He will understand. By the way, since we moved, you have made me hardly remember how much both of you used to disagree a few years ago. He has become a cool young man. Don’t you think so?
Emma: (laughing)
I often pinch myself. I will miss the others and him. So incredible, yeah!
Lydia: I will take that as you are off to a new institution and that this time you are rather happy and relaxed about it. Am I right?
Emma: Let’s say so. Anyway, I stressed out for nothing when I was going to start high school. I am looking forward to going to college. I am feeling different going on the next phase of my studies. This time, I am feeling grown and young at the same time. I can’t explain.
Lydia: You do not have to. Just enjoy the feeling, my sweetheart.
June of Year+1. Here comes the moment Emma did not want to miss when she was hesitating to commit to her current plans. Her high school classmates are going to prom. As she applied to be there, she shows up in her beautiful dress, wearing a stunning makeup. Her hairstyle is perfect. So are her nails and sandals for the occasion. She is about to get off the car when she receives a text message from someone who just spotted her and who was asking what she was doing there because they heard she was already a college student. Her natural reaction was to be in shock, but that lasted a split second. She made an inaudible comment followed by a clear exclamation: to go out with my high school class, duh!
Emma: Mama, I am having the best of both worlds this evening. I belong to this prom event. At the same time, I feel a boast of self-confidence like no-other with the two summer classes that I am finishing so I can earn my associate degree in July and fly off to Paris in September. I deserve this relaxing moment. Hasta la vista!
Lydia: Go, big girl. You have grown up so fast. I will be picking you up on time, count on me. (laughter)
IS IT BYE-BYE NEW YORK YET?
Emma did earn her first college degree thanks to her strong will. She is thankful for the contributions of the principal, his due diligence with his team - back when she was still in eleventh grade that spring - when her academic career made that incredible jump forward. Fortunately, she took advanced placement courses, obtained good regents scores, and went for those CLEP French credits! She did not mind not having had any summer or winter breaks lately. She looks content in the car on her way to Kennedy airport. She is only eighteen years old (born in July), but her mother always tells her she is mature enough to succeed exactly the way she sees it happening in her wildest dreams. Once they arrive, the two pieces of luggage are quickly taken out of the trunk for Emma to take with her through the revolving doors. Lydia and Emma agreed that she was going to park at the exit of the airport until Emma confirms everything is all right and that her mother can go back home. However, Lydia’s phone rings before she reaches the spot she had on mind, a shopping mall nearby.
Lydia: What!? You missed the flight! Oh, my goodness! What are your options?
(Lydia is listening. She always wears her phone headset. As she is alone, she switches the conversation to the car speaker system.)
Emma: I am disappointed, but all is not lost.
Lydia: What do you mean?
Emma: Please come back now and pick me up where you dropped me, mummy. I would like to eat some frozen yoghurt to feel better. Would you take me to my favorite place before we go back home? I will tell you in the car what my options were as well as what I did. You are going to be proud.
(When Lydia arrives, Emma gets in after both ladies put the bags back inside the trunk.)
Lydia: Tell me! I cannot wait anymore. How did you exercise your options? What were they when you found out you missed your flight?
Emma: At the very first gate, I said where I was going and which airline I was traveling with. The airport employee told me right away that they already stopped accepting new people in the line for that flight, to turn around and run to the ticket agent who had no customer with him at that moment (what a happy coincidence!). When I got there, I said that I only arrived five minutes late. Luckily for me, he was in a good mood and their policy allowed me to get my ticket exchanged for free for the next flight tomorrow, twenty-four hours later. I took the offer on the spot. That was quick.
Lydia: Whew! Not bad at all! That is my girl. Thank God, we have one more night and one more day to spend together. That is the way I see it.
Emma: I am wondering what it would have felt like to have caught my plane tonight, though. On the other hand, I, too, appreciate these extra precious moments with you, momma.
(The radio is playing some music from the iPod connected to it. One can hear the song God will make a way in the background)
BYE-BYE NEW YORK! HELLO PARIS!
Tomorrow comes fast enough and these two head again to the airport. This time, they go so early that mom parks the car. Her intention is to go inside to check in the bags with daughter and have some coffee together in the general area lounge at the only restaurant available at that terminal. After a while, they agree the moment for new beginnings has arrived. They both open their door to get out of the car and roll one bag each.
References
Cyrus, Miley. The Climb - Official Music Video (HQ). Posted by HollywoodRecords VEVO, 13 February 2009. https://youtu.be/NG2zyeVRcbs. Accessed 6 Nov. 2018.
Moen, Don. God will Make a Way - Religious Song. Posted by Jo R, 22 August 2012. https://youtu.beRsMAXhc0Qts. Accessed 6 Nov. 2018.
