the cycle of hope

Just finished a book called "Freedom Writers Diary". It's about a group of high school students that overcame racial division and hatred through writing. Here is one of many journal entries that moved me. After all, aren't we all hungry for hope?

Dear Diary,
Ever since Ms. Gruwell announced that the Freedom Writers with the top thirty-five grade point averages would win computers when we graduated, I started getting As and Bs on my report card. I even raised my attendance from mediocre to perfect.

Our senior year finally came and Ms. Gruwell was announcing at the Freedom Writers' "Open-Mic Night" who the lucky recipients of the computers were. "Last but not least the thirty-fifth computer goes to..." and Ms. Gruwell turned to me and said my name. I got butterflies in my stomach; I could not believe that out of 150 Freedom Writers I was one of the ones chosen to get a computer. I had hoped to receive a computer, but truthfully, I didn't believe that I would raise my grade point average high enough to win.

In my neighborhood gang violence and drug trafficking play a big role and kids have no one to look up to as an example of hope. Like most kids in my neighborhood, I had no one to look up to or emulate until I meet John Tu. He has inspired me to become an entrepreneur and start my own computer company. I want to eradicate the violence that is going on in my neighborhood and give back to my community the way John Tu has given back to me. I want to become the role model that kids in my neighborhood lack and to someday have kids in my neighborhood look up to me the way that I look up to John Tu.

Besides donating computers, John Tu had given a couple of Freedom Writers jobs at his company with benefits and Christmas bonuses. Handouts are like putting a Band-Aid on a bullet wound, but John Tu does not give people handouts, he gives people hope. Not even in my wildest dreams did I think that I would meet a millionaire, especially a millionaire that cared about my well-being. John Tu helps people through education, financial support, and high moral standards. I thank God for sending him into my life. He has given so much to me, and because of his actions I want to give to others, and hopefully someone will follow after me and the cycle of hope will continue.