I was sitting next to Missy in my ninth-grade world history class when Mrs. Bartlett announced a new project. In groups, we were to create a newspaper around the culture we were studying.
On a piece of paper, we wrote the names of three friends we wanted in our group. After collecting all the requests, Mrs. B. informed us that she would take into consideration1 the names we chose and would let us know the results the next day. I had no doubt I would get the group of my choice. There were only a handful of sociably2 decent3 people in the class, and Missy was one of them. I knew we had chosen each other.
The next day, I anxiously awaited the class. After the bell rang, Missy and I stopped talking as Mrs. B called for our attention. She started to call out names4. When she reached group three, Missy's name was called. So I'm in group three, I thought. The second, third and fourth members of the group were called. My name was not included. There had to be some mistake!
Then I heard it. The last group: “Mauro, Juliette, Rachel, Karina.” I could feel the tears well in my eyes. How could I face being in that group—the boy who barely spoke English, the one girl who was always covered by skirts that went down to her ankles, and the other girl who wore weird5 clothes. Oh, how badly I wanted to be with my friends.
I fought back tears6 as I walked up to Mrs. B. She looked at me and knew what I was there for. I was determined to convince7 her I should be in the “good” group. “Why...?” I started.
She gently placed a hand on my shoulder. “I know what you want, Karina,” she said, “but your group needs you. I need you to help them get a passing grade on this assignment8. Only you can help them.”
I was stunned9. I was humbled10. I was amazed. She had seen something in me I hadn't seen.
“Will you help them?” she asked.
I stood straighter11. “Yes,” I replied. I couldn't believe it came out of my mouth, but it did. I had committed12.
As I bravely walked to where the others in my group sat, I could hear the laughter from my friends. I sat down and we started. Different newspaper columns were assigned13 according to interests. We did research. Halfway through the week, I felt myself enjoying the company of these three misfits14. There was no need for pretending—I grew sincerely interested in learning something about them.
Mauro, I found out, was struggling with the English language and his lack of friends. Juliette was also alone, because people didn't understand that she was only allowed to wear long skirts or dresses because of her religion. Rachel, who had requested to do the fashion15 column, wanted to be a fashion designer. She had a whole barrel16 of unique17 ideas. They weren't misfits, just people that no one cared enough about to try to understand—except Mrs. B. Her insight18, vision19 and thoughtfulness20 brought out21 the potential22 in four of her students.
I don't recall23 what the newspaper's headline24 was or even the culture we wrote about, but I did learn something that week. I was given a chance to see other people in a new light. I was given the opportunity to see in myself a potential that inspired my actions in later years. I learned that who we are is more important than what we are or seem to be.
After that semester25 ended, I always received a friendly hello from my group. And I was always genuinely happy to see them.
Mrs. B gave us an A on that assignment. We should have handed it right back, for she was the one who truly deserved26 it.
1. take into consideration 考虑
2． sociably adv． 好交际；合群
3． decent adj． 体面的
4． call out names 大声叫出名字
5． weird adj． 怪异的
6． fight back tears 忍住泪水
7． convince v． 说服
8． assignment n． 作业
9． stun v． 吃惊
10． humble v． 使谦卑
11． straight adj． 直的
12． commit v． 承诺
13． assign v． 分配
14． misfit n． 不适合的人或物
15． fashion n． 时尚
16． barrel n． 桶
17． unique adj． 独特的
18． insight n． 洞察力
19． vision n． 眼力
20． thoughtfulness n． 考虑周到
21． bring out 显示出
22． potential n． 潜力
23． recall v． 回忆，记起
24． headline n． 标题
25． semester n． 学期
26． deserve v． 应受，值得