Principal called her to his office over a food fight in cafeteria. He decided to adopt her right after talking to her.
When it comes to dealing with kids, one needs to have an understanding and empathetic approach. Kids act based on what they learn and feel, and often, many negative behaviors come from a deeper issue. In such situations, hearing a child out and offering assistance makes all the difference. When sixth grader Raven Whitaker-Smith got into trouble for participating in a food fight in her school cafeteria, the principal, Jason Smith, knew better than to punish her, per Local 12. “I was an angry and troubled child and picked a fight with one of my classmates,” Raven recalled, per Good Morning America.
When she was taken to the principal, instead of receiving punishment or reprimand, she felt heard. Jason asked her one question—"She said that she had thrown a cup of yogurt at lunch. I asked, 'Well if you were out at a restaurant, would you do that there?'" What Raven said next was unexpected. She recounted, "I was like, 'I've never really been to a restaurant. I don't have a family, I'm in a group home.’” As her story was uncovered, the reality she was living in was upsetting. “At that moment, I felt like she just needed a hand,” the principal mentioned. "We had head lice, we had bruises all up and down us, our fingernails were all gross and stuff," the student said.
For 11 years of her life, the girl felt unloved. When the principal heard Raven’s story, he wanted to do something to help. His yearning to be a father and her need to have a guardian echoed strongly in his heart. Unfortunately, he and his wife, Marybeth, were skeptical as they had already had their share of pain. The couple had infertility attempts and also fostered kids. But things never worked out, and the kids eventually returned to their biological families. "It just crushed us, so we made the decision, probably more so me, that my heart couldn't take another break like that," Marybeth said.
Learning about Raven pushed Jason to reconsider. The couple began the fostering process to see how it would play out. "They say that a mother falls in love with their child at first sight and I remember Raven walking into that room that day, that scared little kid and I just knew in my heart this is what's supposed to be," Marybeth recalled. The sixth grader was hesitant to be adopted by the principal. But she gave it time, and with their efforts and hospitality, she felt right at home. "I just knew that everything happens for a reason,” she remarked. The little girl was finally adopted by the Smiths, and she credits them for giving her life.
"I probably would have gone down a completely different path,” she noted. Raven went on to study social work at the University of Kentucky with the hopes of helping others like her. As for the Smiths, they had a simple message. "If you're out there and you're thinking about fostering a kid, don't be afraid to take a teenager. I couldn't love her anymore if I had given birth to her,” Marybeth noted. Jason added, “Every child can be successful. They just need somebody to support them and be in their corner to help them overcome difficulties.”