12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS: 

'98-year-old woman gets wish to be kindergarten 'teacher for a day'

By JOHN CARLSON

December 21, 2010 

CHESTERFIELD - As a young person, Jewell George had a dream.

"When she was in high school she took college prep courses, wanting to be a kindergarten teacher," her granddaughter, Linda O'Neal, recalled. "But it was during the (Great) Depression, and there was no way she could do it."

Instead, George became a nanny, then a factory worker during World War ll and later a homemaker with a thriving family.

But Monday morning, for a brief and oh-so-special time, her early dream came true.

Now 98 years old, the beaming Miller's Merry Manor resident found herself seated at a long table full of papers, stickers, colored markers and more, working on Christmas crafts surrounded by 18 adorable youngsters in matching Daleville Elementary School T-shirts, all of whom this morning considered her their teacher.

They were the kindergarten class of Debbie Hendricks, who had answered Bob Haverstick's request to fulfill George's ambition.

For 11 years now, as the founder of Never Too Late, Haverstick has worked to turn 2,150 senior citizens' wishes into reality.

Why?

"I guess I've seen too many seniors feel forgotten over the years," he said. "When you get that chance to see that sparkle back in their lives, it's a rejuvenating thing."

When Never Too Late's attention fell to George, her family resisted the urge to get her a limo ride or a fast lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Even Jordan Bouse, a youngster himself, knew better what his great-great-grandmother would want, based on his experience with her as his baby sitter. "She always wanted to play  school," he said, with a laugh, watching the smaller children.

When contacted, Hendricks enthusiastically offered her class's assistance, saying it came down to her mission as teacher.

"One of the things we want to learn in kindergarten," she said, "is when you're kind to somebody else, you change their life."

This day, the surprise certainly changed George's.

"We didn't tell her until this morning," said O'Neal, looking on with a smile. "I was afraid she'd stay up worrying about it. She knew about it 10 minutes before it happened."


Seated at the table with the busy kids, George seemed ecstatic, peeling stickers from their backing and pressing them to rectangles of green, tree-shaped paper while excited talk buzzed around her.  Meanwhile, Miller's employees, school personnel and family members ringed the room, smiling as broadly as the family matriarch.

Wearing a blue shirt on which "Grandkids are the spice of life" was sewn in script around some gingerbread men, she let two fascinated little girls examine her bracelets from the Red Hat Society, then listened as Hendricks had each child at the table give their name.

"Taylor, Maddie, Warren ..." were announced, and when the last name was spoken, George said, "I'm glad to know all of you, each and every one of you."

With that, the party moved to another room, the teacher-for-a-day spryly navigating her walker to follow the pack.

Then, to enthusiastic applause, Hendricks handed George a framed document declaring her an "honorary kindergarten teacher" at Daleville Elementary School.

Not to be upstaged, George then passed out neatly wrapped gifts to all of the children. Once given the go-ahead by Hendricks, the enthusiastic ripping of gift-wrapping paper revealed that each contained a calendar, coloring book, sticker book and crayons, along with cards and candy canes.

As their visit at Miller's wound down, the kids performed a Christmas show for George and other gathered residents, plus heard Hendricks read a story about an oversized snowman.

Before beginning the story, however, she noted that the diminutive "Miss Jewell" was not the biggest person the kids had ever met.

"But I bet she has one of the biggest hearts," Hendricks continued.

George's expression, meanwhile, never varied from the look of delight that had been on it all morning.

"Oh, I am just flabbergasted," she declared. "I cannot believe it, yet."

Reminded that she had finally made it as a kindergarten teacher, she offered a hearty laugh.

"Yes," George agreed. "The easy way."

P.S.

Mrs. Scott wrote:

My son is honored to be in Mrs. Hendricks class and he came home telling me all about his teacher for the day, Ms Jewel...What a blessed thing for him to be a part of and what a story for the holidays!

mcnabb9604 wrote:

Great story, I love this. What a great Christmas gift.

Jerry01 wrote:

What a wonderful thing to do for this kind lady! A big pat on the back goes out to Mr. Haverstick and his group, "Never Too Late".

Augustlily wrote:

This is such a nice story. People do forget about the oldest of our citizens. No one should be alone on Christmas and someone's dream can be realized. This proves it.

I am sure the kids got a lot out of this lady's wish and I am sure they thoroughly enjoyed it.

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