Korre Mitchell

Korre Mitchell

By mrs. bosch

We lost a student today; a Patterson High student died early this morning.

My mentor came to us and stated, “Do you guys want to know who; I am not sure how to tell you.”I held my breath and stopped laughing with the teachers around me.I wondered who it could be ; who passed away? and I waited. The click of silence.

Her words held on elongated breath as she said, “Korre Mitchell.”But, she was mine, my mind raced. Mine. And tears fell to my cheeks almost in mid-laughter. Mine. I had to be walked outside.

I saw her face before me; she had inspired me in our Socratic Circle for Jane Eyre. She kept struggling to say something; she was always getting cut off. Through her stunned thoughts, I saw frustration and angst.So, I paused us, the whole class, because of her and I said…simply, “I see you” and I put my fingers to my eyes and pointed them to hers. “I see you.” And she smiled gently and I smiled back. “I have your points and I feel the frustration, but I see you, I hear you.”

Her shoulders fell back and relieved themselves and her blond hair gently pushed back by the glide of her hand reminded me of mine.Instead of pausing her thoughts, she continued on, and I continued to see her. Truly see her. She is beautiful, bright, and endearing, relating herself to Jane and writing in her journal. I saw her, I heard her, and I was small part of her life and now, she is gone and I am left broken hearted to explain to the rest of the AP students why such things happen and me, with my degrees stand here not knowing.

But, my four year son and seven year old daughter told me this as they held my hands while I cried like a child, “Mommy, she is in a better place; the place where heaven is. And she is looking back down and saying how beautiful and wonderful it was to have friends and great teachers. Korre, has been called to heaven but, she knows how wonderful and grateful she is for the wonderful life she had.”

And I just held my children’s wise hands and continued to be free to cry like a child and say, you are right, you are right. And lord, help me know what to say on Monday, except that she reminds me so much of myself and that I am left broken hearted.