Graduation is a great time to reflect on your educational journey. The obstacles we all face enable us to push harder, find solutions and grow as individuals.
I mostly spent elementary school at a Los Angeles public school until seventh grade, when my parents transferred me to Hillel Hebrew Academy so I could build a stronger foundation in Judaism. Seventh grade was my hardest year– navigating a new school, making new friends, managing a double curriculum and struggling with Hebrew (all while figuring out how to work with my ADHD). With the help of my parents, my tutor, Jordan, and some compassionate teachers, I made it through, and going to YULA High School was the next step.
I had no idea what was about to hit me when I started high school. This unfamiliar environment seemed so overwhelming to me that I thought I’d never be able to manage it. I struggled with my classes and my social life, and my grades were not something I was very proud of. But as time passed, I adapted to my surroundings, found new friends and finally figured out how high school worked.
When I entered tenth grade, I was a better student. I learned to be more resourceful and started to find my place within my school. But tenth grade had its own obstacles: Teachers.
Some teachers are incredible, and some teachers just shouldn’t be teaching. I was the kid who worked so hard to do well in school, and one of my tenth grade teachers still singled me out in nearly every class–it was devastating. And the class was on a subject I really struggled with.
One encouraging word can lift someone up, but the opposite is also true.
One encouraging word can lift someone up, but the opposite is also true. For the rest of my high school years, every teacher I had was incredible! My teachers were passionate and they cared about their students’ success. I improved socially and academically, which made my last two years a total blast. These were also the years that I was inspired to grow more in touch with my connection to Judaism and learn more about myself, G-d, and studying Torah.
The end of eleventh grade was the pinnacle of my high school career, when I reached out to The Change Reaction, a nonprofit organization that supports working Angelenos, to share a story about the sacrifice one of my teachers made every day to get to school. Mr. Castro, my Algebra Two teacher, always had encouraging words for his students, and he would travel by scooter and bus over two hours, every day, twice a day, to get to school and back.
The Change Reaction, which helps hard working Angelenos who are facing a crisis, offered me the opportunity to raise $10,000, which they would match so that I could surprise Mr. Castro with a car on the first week of school. Access to a car would mean he could spend more time home with his family.
This was the biggest and most inspiring project I had ever attempted. I put together a team of friends and devoted my entire summer to raising money to surprise one of my favorite teachers. My goal was for this surprise to change his life forever in the best way, and we succeeded.
This was the most solidifying part of my high school career. As a graduating high schooler, it feels good to reflect on all of the things I have accomplished and the struggles that have blessed me with the tools to problem solve and stay confident.
I hope my story was inspiring for anyone that has struggled with academics or for anyone that found it hard to find their place in their high school.
Joshua Gerendash is a graduating senior at YULA Boys High School in West Los Angeles and has appeared on major news stations worldwide for his role with the fundraiser.
