Rankin1223web

The fall semester had already begun, but
by Friday evening of her first week of school,
Irma had joined the show choir, gotten a
senior t-shirt, attended the senior breakfast,
parade, pep rally, and her first-ever football
game. She even sang the national anthem
with the show choir at halftime – after much
practice at home, learning the words!
Her counselor from her Italian school,
via email, assisted in making her class schedule.
He told Irma to choose the most difficult
math courses that were offered. She’s
presently a calculus student and is indebted
to Mrs. Winstead, her teacher, for compiling
a list of translations to math terms that Irma
would need for the class.
Sam laughed as he shared about Irma’s
first request, “She wanted to ride a school
bus – a yellow one - like she had seen in the
films. Walking and riding her bike are her
only means of travel to her Italian school.”
Her wish was granted. Irma smiled and
said, “It’s not what I expected.”
Even though Irma’s home school is in
session six days a week, and graduation is
complete after thirteen years of school, she’s
impressed with her classes at NW Rankin,
her teachers, and the challenging level of her
courses compared to those in her home
school. “I study a lot,” she said, and those
studies are reflected in her first six-week
grades - all A’s!
Yes, she misses her family–especially
her two younger sisters, but her Mississippi
parents (she calls them mom and dad) have
kept her busy when she’s not in school.
They’ve taken her to the beach at Pensacola,
taken a day trip to New Orleans, toured the
Mississippi State Capitol where she met
some of the legislators, and introduced her
to her first cinnamon roll at the Midsouth
Fair. Attending church at Pinelake has been
another experience that she’s loved.
Even though the student exchange rules
don’t allow her to go home during the year,
modern technology allows her to stay in
touch with her family via FaceTime, emails,
and Instagram. Her dad is a dedicated Dallas
Cowboys fan and watches all their games on
TV. It’s not unusual for Sam to get a text
message from Irma’s dad, commenting on
a certain play. Differences in time zones can
mean pre-dawn texts!
Irma’s communication skills in English
are impressive, and Amanda and Sam agree
that she continues to improve daily. Her
Italian accent is pleasing, and she’s already
added “y’all” to her vocabulary. Her
personality is charming and warm –
Amanda calls her an angel.
The Fants have plans to take her to
Gatlinburg, San Antonio, and Dallas, and
introduce her to some offshore fishing.
A Grove experience at an Ole Miss game
is also on their itinerary.
Irma’s Mississippi parents recently took
her to a Mississippi State football game, her
first ever college game. “Stepping into the
packed-out stadium blew her mind,” Sam
said. Irma grabbed a cowbell and began
ringing it like a diehard fan. Amid the roar
of the bells and the constant activities on the
playing fields and sidelines, Irma shouted to
her second set of parents, “I LOVE the
United States!”
36 • DECEMBER 2023