Mateo Martin, a student at Bainbridge High School, has been given every reason to give up.
As a teenager, he has grieved the loss of both of his parents. He is currently living with his uncle, Diego Francisco, and other family members who work very hard to ensure that he is given as many opportunities as any other student.
Martin has been riding a bike that was given to him as a hand-me-down that was old and too small for him to travel back and forth to school each day. He said that no matter what, he wants to finish school in honor of his parents and continue to make them proud of his accomplishments.
Dr. Vivian Burke, ESOL teacher for Decatur County Board of Education, works with Mateo.
“He is a joy to teach and is always eager to learn,” Burke said. “He comes in to the class with a mega-watt smile and makes my day. He knows my Spanish can be rusty at times and is always so positive when reminding me how to appropriately translate from English to Spanish. I remind him that he is a strong leader. He is always so patient and polite.”
When Amanda Boyett, a teacher at Potter Street Elementary School, heard about Martin’s need for a new bike, she immediately contacted her husband, Sergeant Brian Boyett with Bainbridge Public Safety.
“There was no doubt in my mind that I knew we would help this young man,” Brian said. “As a law enforcement officer, our job is not solely handling criminal situations. Bainbridge Public Safety does various community activities throughout the year, such as Shop with a Cop. We want to help our community members. For me, that meant ensuring that this young man had a safe way to get back and forth to school.”
When my Mrs. Boyett told Mr. Boyett Martin’s story, all he could think of was how he could help him, he said. Of course, Martin was grateful for his Christmas surprise.
“For me, there is no greater gift than to bring happiness to this young man during the holidays,” Brian said. “It is a time to be thankful for all the blessings that you have been given throughout the year and to remember that giving during the holiday season embodies the true meaning of Christmas.”