Submitted by Amed Sylla
To the Editor,
It’s not that often that you find leaders or mentors who will guide you in the right direction where I’m from. It’s even more rare to build a lifelong bond with a former teacher, especially because some teachers simply don’t care as much. Fortunately for me, I was able to create that bond with my 7th grade teacher, Nick Simmons—who I still call Mr. Simmons because I respect and admire him so deeply.
As a kid, I was always very curious. In fact, my curiosity often got me into trouble. I was the one always asking, “Why?,” “Why can’t we be the first class outside for recess,?” or, “Why does it have to be this way?” I needed to understand the reasoning behind everything. Now, as I look back, I realize that my desire to question the world wasn’t just an act of rebellion; it was my way of figuring out the world.
So what did I learn from Mr. Simmons? In life, we need people who genuinely care about what they do. We need the bus driver who takes the time to remember each passenger’s name and greet them with a smile, even on the coldest mornings. We need the sanitation worker who, despite being unseen, ensures the streets stay clean and safe, quietly making the city a better place for everyone. We need the librarian who curates books for a struggling student, offering a lifeline of knowledge that might otherwise go unnoticed. We need the mechanic who stays late, not for profit, but because someone needs their car to get to work the next morning.
And, of course, we need the teacher who wakes up at 4:00 a.m. to head to Harlem, committed to shaping young minds. The one who stays in touch with former students while they’re in college, making sure they don’t just succeed academically but become assets to society.
Now, we need Mr. Simmons on the ballot—and in the State Senate. CT’s 36th District deserves someone who genuinely cares, goes above and beyond, and is dedicated to fulfilling the needs of the people so no one is left disappointed.
I can tell you from experience, Mr. Simmons is exactly the kind of leader who turns promises into action. He won’t let you down.
Sincerely,
Amed Sylla
Editor’s note: The deadline for submitting letters to the editor about candidates in the Nov 5, 2024 election for consideration was Oct 29, 2024 at 12:00 noon.