People have mixed feelings about high school. Depending on who you ask, it’s either the best or worst four years of your life, and both sides have good reasons. The homework can be difficult, some teachers might be useless, and of course, there’s always the looming threat of bullies.
But at the same time, high school provides growing teens with plenty of opportunities to make new friends and memories to smile back on.
For 15-year-old Azie Robinson from Tennessee, it looked like high school would be pretty tough on him.
The teenager had been the victim of bullying in past years. The experience left Robinson depressed, becoming reclusive, and spending more time in bed.
“It made me feel like I was worthless and didn’t mean anything to anyone,” Robinson said in an interview with Inside Edition.
But despite the cruel treatment, Robinson has always been described by his mother, Traci, as kind and giving.
But when Robinson transferred to a new high school, his classmates made sure to give him a warm and loving welcome.
The students from LaVergne High School in Tennesse had heard Robinson suffered bullying, and they wanted to make sure he felt welcome and accepted.
With the wholehearted blessing of their teacher, Sonji Newman, they all chipped in some money to buy Robinson gifts. Kerolos Girgis, who wanted to pay Robison back for his generosity in class, spearheaded the entire effort.
When the time came to surprise Robinson, he had no idea what was happening.
Girgis and another student walked into the classroom towards an unsuspecting Robinson, gifts in hand. “We got you some stuff because of, like, how generous you are and everything you do,” Girgis told Robinson in the video.
When Robinson opened his first gift, a new pair of Nike sneakers, he was left speechless and in tears.
“All the stuff you’ve done for everyone in this class,” Girgis said to Robinson, “you deserve way more than this.” Robinson, hands covering his face, overwhelmed by the generosity, could only manage a teary “Thank you.”
But that wasn’t the only gift. Robinson also got more clothes and extra money from the students. Newman could not have been more proud of her students.
“These teenagers, they get such a bad reputation. All you see is the violence. [The video] is just something positive. People need to see we have great kids.”
As for Azie, he couldn’t be any happier with the love and support he got from his friends.
“Those tears were pure joy,” Azzy said. “Almost proud to be me for once because they wanted to do something for me like that.”
It’s important to remember that treating people kindly or poor can leave a lasting impression on their lives. High School can be difficult, but it can still be a welcoming place to learn and love with the right people and attitude.