More Than a Job

Although Akbar Cook has been the principal at West Side High School in Newark, New Jersey, for just a few months, he has already made some big changes.  Cook realized that a number of students at the school were missing classes.  Upon further investigation, he discovered that students were being teased and bullied because of the condition of their clothes and hygiene.  Some students were even taking pictures of the students with stains and dirty clothes and posting them on social media.  One girl, who was homeless, didn’t want to have her bags checked at the school entrance, since she was so embarrassed about her clothing and other items.  Cook said, “They were choosing to stay home rather that coming to school to be bullied or ridiculed.  We didn’t know until we started making calls.”  Principal Cook began giving the students extra school t-shirts and clothes, saying  “I refuse to let a kid come to school smelling or dirty and I’m sitting on a shirt that says ‘West Side’ on it.”  The principal knew that was helping, but would not solve the problem completely for the students.   

Cook applied for and received a $20,000 grant through the PSEG to purchase washers and dryers for the school.  When a UPS store heard about the situation, they stepped in and provided laundry detergent and other cleaning supplies.  The football locker room is now a laundry room with five washing machines and five driers where the students come to clean their clothes.  Because of a few phone calls, listening ears, caring hearts, and a principal willing to take action, students now have needs met and are attending school again with pride intact.

Akbar Cook was motivated and encouraged to give his students clean shirts and other articles of clothing because the school name was printed on them.  How much more should we look for ways to serve and give to others knowing that we have the Spirit of the living God written on our hearts.

You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

2 Corinthians 3:3