May 2019 | Employee & Student Spotlight: Darlene and Dylan Garrison
In honor of Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 12, this month’s Employee and Student Spotlight features one of the District’s many parent-student pairs: Woodbury sixth-grade teacher Darlene Garrison and her son, Woodbury sixth-grade student Dylan Garrison. Ms. Garrison, a Shaker Heights native and 25-year Shaker Heights Schools teacher, is also mom to two daughters, Shaker Heights High School Freshman Camryn Garrison and 2018 graduate Courtney Garrison. While Dylan isn’t in his mom’s classroom as a student, Ms. Garrison has been teaching him plenty since day one about what it means to be a caring, gentle and compassionate human being. Read more about Ms. Garrison and her son, Dylan.
Student Spotlight: Dylan Garrison, Woodbury Sixth Grade Student
What’s it like having your mom in the building?
I love having my mom in the building because after lunch, I can come up to my mom’s room. And when I’m in her room, I like that I can get my homework done faster.
What do you love most about your mom?
She does a lot of things for me and she always makes sure I’m taken care of. Plus, she makes a really good lasagna.
What’s the one thing you do that you know gets on your mom’s nerves?
Getting on a video game when I should be doing my homework.
Tell us about what you do in your free time?
I like to run track and I go practice at the High School sometimes with the older kids. They treat me like a little brother. I also like to play basketball. In the summer, I do a program called REACH at University School. [REACH is an enrichment program for academically talented African American middle school young men.]
What do you want to be when you grow up?
I want to be an engineer.
Tell us something your mom has taught you that you won’t forget.
To always be a gentleman and never argue or disrespect adults.
Employee Spotlight: Darlene Garrison, Woodbury Sixth-Grade Teacher
Tell us about growing up in Shaker.
I went to Moreland Elementary School [now the Shaker Heights Main Library] for K through 6, Woodbury for grades 7 through 9 and then to the High School. When I was at Woodbury, I was a cheerleader, a synchronized swimmer and I did something called Pride Boosters. I also ran track. When I got to the High School, I did drill team. But the summer before I was in the 10th grade, I got a job at the Pick and Pay on Chagrin [now the Walgreens hear the southwest corner of Chagrin and Lee] so that I could start saving up for my college education. At that time in Shaker, you could also take courses over the summer at the High School, so that by the time I was a senior, I went to school until noon and then worked every day at Pick and Pay until 6 at night. With all the money I saved working, I was able to pay for my freshman and sophomore years at Ohio University. When I was a junior, I became a Resident Assistant, so I had free housing and a stipend. I came out of school debt-free. I always say that I’ve been working my whole life since I was 16, but I wouldn’t change anything.
What were some of the valuable life lessons your mother passed along to you?
My mom taught me a lot, but the one thing I’ll always know is that she taught me how to be patient and how to control any type of anger. In my classroom, I don’t yell. My mom always told me to be patient and to remember that when you get yourself upset, you make it bad for everyone, including yourself. My mom passed away in 2013 and I miss our conversations. I actually live in the house on Hildana that I grew up in---sometimes, if Dylan is messing around in the house, I’ll tell him that Nana’s watching you and that you’re messing up her house!
You’ve been at Woodbury your entire career in Shaker. What do you love about this school and the District?
I love the staff. We’re truly like a family. When my oldest Courtney was born, she was the baby who taught the rest of us how to take care of babies. Everyone still calls her Baby G! I also love that I had the opportunity to give my daughter her diploma at graduation last year. That was a touching moment for me and I want to do that for all of my kids.
What would you say to your mom today, if she were alive?
I hope you’re proud of me.
After these 25 years of teaching, what have you learned about the role you play in students’ lives?
I learned that when you’re building relationships with your students, the relationships are lasting. And when you really build on those relationships, all the pieces of the puzzle fit together. For me, it’s all about the relationships.