Reaction to Manny Scott

unpublished for march tahoe mt. news ...

By Kathryn Reed

One man can make a difference.
Manuel V. Scott proved this when he spent two days in South Lake Tahoe telling his story to students at South Tahoe Middle School, South Tahoe High, Mt. Tallac and to the community.
His life and that of his high school classmates were forever immortalized in the film “Freedom Writers.” Life as a gang member in Long Beach wasn’t pretty or easy.
During the community presentation in January he talked about how his dad just got out of prison. He talked about his mom using drugs when he was growing up. He talked about abuse. He talked about a sense of hopelessness.
Each session, even the community one, began with Scott asking a series of questions. If you could answer “yes”, you stood up. It started comically enough with a question about a type of dance that most people over 25 didn’t have a clue about.
Then it got serious. People who’d thought about suicide stood. People whose parents did drugs stood. People who knew someone who had died violently stood. A hush fell over the room as one teen stood until Scott counted to 12. That’s how many people this one boy knew who had died a violent death.
Scott’s message hit home.
Jenny Lopez, a senior at Mt. Tallac, was surprised to see friends stand when certain questions were asked. It made her realize what they are going through and what they don’t talk about.
Classmate Robert Aguilar said he was surprised by the similarities and differences he had with others based on answers to Scott’s questions.
Cindy Cowen, the middle school teacher instrumental in bringing Scott to town, had students answer “What did Manny say that resonated with you?” in their journals.
One wrote, “The feeling that resonated with me was a warm glow of inspiration and comfort. I felt the inspiration run around me, like millions of ants fleeing away from a tide. I let comfort fill my senses, like when your mother hugs you. When Manuel V. Scott first came out and sang that song, I was inspired to do anything I want or have to do and for some reason, I felt safe. I know it sounds silly, but I am only writing down the truth.”
Mt. Tallac students have a renewed commitment to staying in school and staying out of trouble.
“If he made it and was going through worse things than you, you can be even better,” Lopez said.
Scott finished college, is now an inspirational speaker, married and has a child.
“Miss Jackson is like our Miss G. She shows us colleges and things like that to be interested in and not just gangs,” said Francisco Noboa, a Tallac senior. Amy Jackson is the counselor at Tallac; Erin Gruell the Long Beach teacher who made the difference.
Scott wasn’t just another adult trying to relate to students. He is someone who has walked the walk.
“Since he has been through it, it got to me more,” Tallac junior Sandra Yanez said. “If you want to change, you can.”
The five Tallac students interviewed after hearing Scott’s talk spoke about finding it in them to do better. They admit it’s hard when adults look at them with contempt without knowing them. They say cops seem not to believe change is possible. Even kids at South Tahoe High discriminate against Tallac kids without knowing their story.
These Tallac students have or know other teens using and dealing drugs (“there are a lot of drugs out there”) – mostly pot. Stealing, violence – some gang related, fighting, making fun of people and bullying – it’s been part of their world in some fashion.
They talked about the need to and their desire to make good choices.
“If you do, then they notice you changing,” Noboa said. “You sleep better knowing you didn’t do something bad. When you do something bad, you feel guilt. You’re not comfortable with yourself.”
These students often feel misunderstood.
“You do care. We do have feelings,” senior Eric Salazar said. He learned from Scott, “That even though you grow-up in a tough place, you can make it in life.”
In a thank you letter to the El Dorado Community Foundation, Lake Tahoe Collaborative and Lake Tahoe Community College, Cowen wrote, “When asked what they thought Manny's message was, the kids said that he urged them to believe in themselves even if no one else did, to dream big and to get an education. One student literally threw herself in my arms thanking me and saying that finally someone understood what she was going through and that she didn't feel alone anymore. Spontaneously, the entire class leaped up and did a group hug. They all said they felt better getting things out in the open and seeing someone with such odds stacked against him succeed. This was a GATE class.
“In other classes, students who had previously scored in the 30% area on benchmarks were scoring in the 90%! When asked what had happened, the students said that Manny had inspired them to try again. I just hope we can keep these kids connected.”