Nebraska Change Agent
' I am entirely certain that twenty years from now we will look back at education as it is practiced in most schools today and wonder how we could tolerated anything so primitive.' John W Gardner
Progress Tracker
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How MySpace Changed A Life
About a year ago a young man named Mundo Munoz enrolled at the alternative school where I teach when his traditional school was not meeting his needs. In the course of getting to know him I found out that he wanted to go into law enforcement. I happen to have some connections in the law enforcement community. My husband, Kris Still, is a deputy sheriff so I made arrangements for Mundo to interview him for a school project. He was also able to interview Jason Perkins, the K-9 handler for the Scotts Bluff County Sheriff’s Department. Mundo’s genuine interest in law enforcement opened up an opportunity that high school students rarely get to experience; he was able to go on a 10 hour ride-along with my husband last summer. It was a great experience for both Mundo and my husband.
Mundo was one of those students that my husband and I both took an interest in. We could both see so much potential in him and we wanted to see him fulfil his dream of becoming a police officer. I thought Mundo was on the right track until he dropped a bomb on me in late September when he told me he was dropping out of school. I spent over an hour trying to convince him that he needed to stay in school and that he was throwing his life away. I have never broken down in front of a student, but I cried. I felt as if I had failed miserably as a teacher and mentor. I was supposed to be able to make him change his mind. I was suppose to know exactly what to tell him to make him change his mind, but I couldn’t. In the end he walked out of my room and left town. He did what he felt was the right thing for him and as much as I disagreed with his decision I had to respect it.
He was just 10 English credits away from a high school diploma. My principal and our English teacher, 
Brenda Smith, agreed to let him finish the classes online. In the weeks after he left we tried to contact him, but without any success. The online classes remained unfinished and Mundo remained unreachable.
On February 10, I hosted a college planning night. I just happened to be on MySpace the night before. I hardly ever get on there! Something in the back of my head told me I needed to check my messages. I noticed Mundo was online at the same time so I sent him a short message asking how he was doing. That started a series of messages that went back and forth for about an hour. It turned out Mundo was miserable where he was living so he moved back to town. He was actually just blocks away from me! I told him about the college planning meeting that was going on the next night. He said he would be there. He worked with my husband for the entire evening and it paid off! Mundo was awarded the Western Nebraska Community College Board of Governors Scholarship, the WNCC Outstanding Leadership scholarship, and a third scholarship. The Board of Governors scholarship will pay his tuition for two full years!
Mundo will complete his two English classes at the end of this week and on Thursday he will officially graduate from high school. I cannot even begin to tell you how proud I am right now! I feel like my own son is graduating from high school!
Please feel free to leave some comments for this very special young man. He has a very bright future ahead of him.
*Mundo gave me permission to use his full name and photos.
20 Responses to “How MySpace Changed A Life”
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May 4th, 2009 at 4:19 p
Your post made me cry. I am so proud of both you and Mundo. These kids are why we do what we do for long hours and low pay. It gives the job authentic meaning.
Even though I’m an educator, my own son dropped out of day school, went to night high school, dropped out of that, then finally at 20 went back and finished at the night school. I thank God every day for the teachers (former teammates of mine)at that school who wouldn’t give up on my son, even when he was acting out and living in his van. He eventually got an actual diploma, not a GED. One of those same teachers hooked him up with a Navy recruiter and now my son is an Aerographer’s Mate in the Navy, married, and has a newborn daughter.
So you can see why Mundo’s story touched me. Let us strive to never, ever, ever, never give up on a student! Thanks for what you do and thanks for the post.
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May 4th, 2009 at 4:25 p
Students like Mundo are waht inspire and encourage us as teachers that we do make difference and that our work does matter. We’re here for people like you Mundo!
Thanks for making your own decisions and sticking with them. Also, thank you for being willing to admit you made a mistake and you did what you needed to do to correct it. That’s what life and learning is about.
Congratulations on your awards and good luck in the future. Never give up!
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May 4th, 2009 at 5:48 p
Mundo, you probably already know that your name means ‘world’ in Spanish and you have a world of opportunity ahead of you. Anytime you face difficulty in that wonderful future of yours, and you will, continue to believe in yourself just as Mr. & Mrs. Still have continued to believe in you.
I teach in a middle school full of kids who need a model and an inspiration. I would like your permission to show your story to them so they can see how persistence and patience pay off.
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May 4th, 2009 at 9:05 p
I feel it’s essential to have a goal in life. To be in your Element (see Sir Ken Robinson’s latest book), you have to find something you love and spend time doing it well. While it can be hard for outsiders to understand, we all take different paths to get to our goal. Mundo – You know your goal. You see the love and resources around you, always willing to give you a helping hand or a kick in the butt. Fortunately, only you can get in the way of your goal. Congratulations!
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May 4th, 2009 at 9:50 p
Mundo, I’d like to add my congratulations to those above and although I’ve never met Mrs Still I follow her on Twitter and am often impressed by her enthusiasm to support students. I’m a retired teacher in Australia and would like to encourage you to continue your studies – no matter what hurdles you face. Your decision to complete the course and graduate was very wise. Now your future is looking brighter with the scholarship support and you need to stay positive. Best wishes for the future in college and your chosen career.
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May 4th, 2009 at 11:12 p
Mundo –
Congratulations on your accomplishment! Your community will be a better place with you as a law enforcement officer since you have learned what it is to overcome some rough spots. Hang in there for the college courses and remember to get help when you need it–you will be a stronger person and a better able to turn around and help others if you do.
Regards,
Marian Olivas
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May 5th, 2009 at 8:00 p
Mundo,
Congratulations on your upcoming graduation and on your entry into a world of opportunity! I am so glad you came back to us and are finishing your high school diploma. You have a great attitude, and that attitude will help get you to the places you want to go! Never give up on your dreams! I am proud of you! Best wishes!!
Brenda Smith
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May 5th, 2009 at 8:19 p
The harder the road, the sweeter the finish line! Sometimes the best things are only reached through some degree of adversity.
You all (Mundo and The Stills) should be quite proud of this milestone!
But don’t stop running yet, Mundo! Keep going!
(And stay in touch with The Stills so that we can all stay posted on Mundo’s progress!)
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May 5th, 2009 at 8:41 p
Beth,
I’ve been teaching alternative ed since ‘92,and have had my share of Mundos. They, their struggles, and the great victories (which seem so small at times to others) are what have kept me in alt. ed all these years. Something about these stories make the Ivy Leaguers and Hockey scholarship winners pale in comparison.
Last year one of the best classes I have ever had her in MN graduated with several going on to colleges. While their stories are not necessarily Mundo’s, they are tales of struggle, perseverance, and victory just the same.
Our students are our kids. Not by birth, but by the fact we invest our hearts in them. Congrats on sending your “son” off to college.
And, to Mundo, congratulations on your accomplishments and your willingness to stick with it and move on toward your dreams and goals.
Thanks for the post – inspiring, to say the least
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May 5th, 2009 at 5:59 p
Mundo,
Congratulations on pursuing your dream. I am connect with Mrs. Still through Twitter and the blogosphere and she is one of those rare people that you want to get to know. Your perseverance will pay off more than you can ever imagine. I wish you all the best and I hope you continue to inspire your community by sharing Mrs. Still’s passion and demonstrating leadership.
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May 6th, 2009 at 9:33 p
That’s a great story. It seems like the vast majority of the discussion around social networking and education is its use as an instructional tool. Then, there are always the negative stories about what went wrong on XYZ social network. This story bucks the trend and illustrates that online networks can be more than just an aggregation of weak ties. Nice article Beth, and congratulations, Mundo.
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May 6th, 2009 at 10:02 p
Mundo,
Congrats on the scholarships and finding your path. Life is not easy and will throw you many curve balls but keep going.
Thanks for blogging this Beth – You are an awesome teacher and reading this story reminds me that teaching is not just about tests and grades.
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May 6th, 2009 at 10:23 p
Mundo
You are why we do what we do at VALTS! We all have the ability to make choices and grow from these experiences. I too didn’t like you dropping out but the reason was to support family and I understood. When you decided to return to school that was a great choice. Filling out all the paperwork for WNCC scholarships was a great choice!! Next Tuesday when you finish VALTS we will all celebrate good choices!! You are a bright, caring young man I’m proud to call my student!!! Congratulations!!!
VALTS Principal!!
Kirk
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May 6th, 2009 at 10:27 p
This is a fantastic story. There are many things to enjoy about this story, but the best part is the people involved in it. The technology/ social network played a significant role in the story though without caring people like Beth and Kris, all the technology in the world wouldn’t have helped. The longer I stay in education the more I am convinced that caring is what makes a great teacher. Beth certainly personifies caring.
Congratulations to Mundo for graduating from high school and getting the scholarships.
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May 6th, 2009 at 12:51 p
Beth…that activated my tear ducts. It does help when teachers really care. You can officially say that you made a difference. Kudos to Mundo for sticking to it!!! My favorite quote: What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger -Nietzsche
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May 6th, 2009 at 12:55 p
What an amazing story. Never give up!
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May 6th, 2009 at 7:24 p
Mundo,
Wow that story really shows your perseverance. You have made some tough decisions in life. I’m so glad you decided to finish school and go to that college planning night.
I know you are going to do great things and make the most of that wonderful scholarship!
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May 9th, 2009 at 8:45 p
Mundo, I can remember when Beth first told me about you and your interest in Law Enforcement. She said you had a lot of potential. It didn’t take me long to get to know you and see what she was talking about. I hope that I helped you along with your decision to pursue a career in Criminal Justice. We need fine young men like you to follow in our foot steps. Take this opportunity and make the most of it. Beth and I are very proud of you!
Kristofor Still
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May 12th, 2009 at 8:27 p
Mundo,
I am so proud of you! Back in the fall I thought this day would never come. I am so glad that you came back to school and that you decided to continue to pursue your dreams. Remember that you can do just about anything if you set your mind to it. Don’t hesitate to come back to us for any reason. The staff here at VALTS will be here for you if you ever need anything. I don’t think I have to remind you that Kris will be there for you, too. You can call him, email him, or keep in touch on Twitter. Start using your network to your advantage. You have a growing group of people who really want to see you be successful. Best of luck, Mundo.
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June 25th, 2009 at 6:36 p
What an incredible story. Teaching is so much about connections with students. Beth you are an outstanding persona and educator. You saw what Mundo needed and laid the ground work for him that opened up great opportunities. Mundo, super job. That is incredible. Go for it, make your dreams come true, one assignment, one test, and one day at a time. You can do it!
Thanks again for sharing this great story
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