Why does the cast of Jersey Shore get more press than our teachers?

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Why does the cast of Jersey Shore get more press than our teachers?

It’s good to see someone like Tony Danza out of his element on A&E’s Teach: Tony Danza. It’s a show about his role as a teacher in an at risk neighborhood in Philadelphia’s and follows his trials and tribulations as he instructs a 10th-grade English class with 26 students. I know Tony personally and I think he has done a lot more here than just earn a paycheck. He is showing many of us how difficult it is to manage a classroom full of kids. He is also showing us how much kids need teachers to help guide them to their future successes. Although the show is full of unrealistic and scripted moments, it has at times captured some rather difficult situations that our real teachers face everyday both in and out of the classroom.

This makes me think….

Teachers have a lot of hats to wear. Not only do they need to understand how to teach, they also need to be our kid’s role models and babysitters.  Teachers are the early leaders for our youth.  They are our nation’s leaders. Our temporary parents while our real parents are at work.

Lady Gaga and the cast of Jersey Shore are not.

An interesting thing happens as we get older and drift farther away from the teachers that held our hands through thick and thin for so long. We eventually grow to appreciate them. We realize just how much they had done to shape our lives. We may not have enjoyed all of our teachers but I imagine each adult has a couple of teachers that to this day, stand out in their minds as the ones that had the most positive impact on them during those early childhood years. I know I do.

One teacher in particular had such a profound impact on me that I often dreamt of the day that I could finally go back to my old school and tell her THANK YOU for all she had done. To let her know how much I appreciated her being there for me when no one else was. To tell her that if it wasn’t for her staying with me that extra five minutes on that challenging problem, that I might never have been able to eventually enter into an entire career that I had chosen for myself.

My being part of the Rockstar Superstar Project allows me to interact with teachers and students across America through the internet. We use a program called Skype. Skype allows me to see the students I talk to and vice versa through a webcam. Thanks to this amazing tool, our message of sobriety can be conveyed directly to any school, anytime. Pretty amazing stuff really.

Recently, I had a chance to skype with my alma mater. During the sessions, a teacher walked into the room that looked familiar but because of the not so bright lighting, I couldn’t be 100% certain as to who it was. The woman picked up the microphone and said “Hi Kris.” That’s when I realized that the moment I had been waiting for all those years was happening right now, and in front of a classroom full of kids! This was my chance to say Thank You, to my very favorite teacher for everything that she had done for me. All those times when she went above and beyond to make sure I left knowing what was right from wrong. My eyes quickly welled up with joy. It was hard not to get caught up in the wonderfulness o f it all, but I had to. The clock was ticking and I had a message to convey to those students.  After choking on my most sincere words of thanks, I regained my composure and carried on.

The importance of the moment for me was significant. After 20 years, I was able to say thanks to my favorite teacher for all she had done. I was also shown once again that through my sobriety and my own willingness to stay clean, I was able to taste pure redemption and trust me, it’s sweeter than sugar.

I love my sobriety and all of my former teachers but will always dislike the TV show Jersey Shore.

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Super Star

About me: I am Super Star (yes, that is my legal name). I have earned that name – and accomplished what many people would consider impossible – because I chose to stay sober one day at a time. I left the crack houses to mingle with Hollywood’s elite, ending up working with all of my childhood musical heroes, and have now found my purpose in life after surviving an almost 15-year battle with the disease of addiction.

Currently, I am an advocate for kids in recovery from substance abuse (and prevention as well) in Malibu, California, as well as from my home in Chicago, a sober companion to many, director of a non-profit that helps those struggling with recovery, and passionate speaker to kids about the issues of drugs and addiction.

I am also an author and musician. I am currently finishing my work on the book, “The First 30 Days to Serenity: The Essential Guide to Staying Sober,” which can be pre-ordered here. I have also just wrapped up the recording of Serenity, a first-of-its-kind CD created in conjunction with my twin brother Rock Star solely to combat addiction. “Serenity,” was produced by a Grammy-winning producer and features many of our musical heroes, who have come together to help us tell our story in an effort to help others through their own addiction struggles. Guests on our CD include current and former members of bands such as Kiss, Heart, The Goo Goo Dolls, Dokken, Trans-Siberian Orchestra as well as many more. It rocks – musically and inspirationally – and can be found here

Pass this on if you feel it can help someone and feel free to visit us at www.rockstarsuperstarproject.com

The “We Are One Rocks La Grange” event was a success. We raised some money for our upcoming programs in the community, and we raised awareness to an important issue. Thank you to everyone who helped make it possible! Also, a special thanks to musical guest “Von Chalant” who stole the show!

We Are One is a registered 501(c)3 charitable non-profit organization dedicated to fighting teen substance abuse