Every Monday, Ernest Johnson returns to his former school, George Washington Carver Elementary, formerly Moore Street Elementary, where he completed his primary education in 1948.
There, he meets with a very special student: Zahkeem. Nearly five years ago, Mr. Johnson became Zahkeem’s mentor, when Ebenezer Baptist Church joined the Micah Initiative. Each week Mr. Johnson meets with 4th grader Zahkeem to play games, talk about school and life, and encourage him to dream big dreams. For Zahkeem, “It’s cool. We do things like play and have fun. Mr. Johnson is a best friend.”
Together they celebrate Zahkeem’s lovely cursive writing, his major role in Carver’s Black History play, and his commitment “to tell the truth and do the right thing.” With a smile on his face, Mr. Johnson explains that these achievements “are the foundation for what Zahkeem will do later on.” Zahkeem wants to grow up to be “an artist and a husband.” With the support of Mr. Johnson, these dreams are sure to become a reality.
Mr. Johnson has also helped other volunteers begin their journey as mentors as a trainer for Virginia Mentor Partnership, an organization that has been preparing volunteers to work with students for 20 years. In this capacity, he has led trainings for many new Micah volunteers before they enter the school.
Mr. Johnson recalls his upbringing and his years as a Carver student. Although he lacked a designated mentor, he still feels that he benefited from the support of others. “In my day, we had family members, teachers, and a lot of folks that influenced me,” Mr. Johnson recalls. Mr. Johnson treasures his time mentoring Zahkeem and says, “It gives me this great feeling inside to know that I’m helping this young child.” That feeling rings loud and clear when Zahkeem confidently announces, “I’m smart!”