Constance Sturgis, who was lovingly called Miss Connie by many in the community, was known and will be celebrated in the coming days and weeks as a lifelong teacher of the youth, a brilliant storyteller, a beloved historian and a local treasure.
“She will be so missed,” said Reverend Betty Smith, who was a former student of Sturgis’ and is the current pastor of Tyree AME Church in Berlin. “It will be impossible to duplicate what she gave to all of us in the community.”
During an interview with Sturgis last February, the former teacher at the then all-black Berlin Middle School spoke about her humble upbringings as a young African-American girl in Mardela Springs driven by a yearning to become educated and make a difference in the lives of young people as a teacher.
“These kids today are crying out for our help,” Sturgis said. “Our youth want to escape from using drugs, alcohol, gangs, and they really need boundaries within their lives that provide structure and safety. They are entering into adulthood unprepared and failing at alarming rates because of violence or a lack of resources.”
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The lady sounds wonderful if they could have bonded with a police Sheriff like David Clarke, or some of the other real good black leaders we have seen in recent months, things might have been different. But I'm a strong believer in you change your life if you really want to, instead of choosing drugs and gangs they could have met with a local pastor on a regular basis or someone like Miss Connie and listened to what she had to say. Some people have turned out to be real leaders that had it no better. By the age of 12 their mold has started.
ReplyDeleteShe will be missed. We hope that there's someone who will fill her shoes, someone with the desire, knowledge and heart that she had.
ReplyDelete"“These kids today are crying out for our help,” Sturgis said. “"
ReplyDelete"OUR help"? Where in the hell are THEIR PARENTS and other family members?
"They are entering into adulthood unprepared and failing at alarming rates because of violence or a lack of resources.”"
"a lack of resources"????? This is absurd. Absolutely absurd.
""They are entering into adulthood unprepared and failing at alarming rates because" because of the break down of the traditional family.
Truth 9:21
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