The WITS Family: Bettering Others, Bettering Ourselves
by Danielle Resh
If I had to pick the most important qualities for a person or an organization to cultivate, I would
choose three things: a capacity for empathy, a hunger for personal growth, and the ability to be
true to oneself.
At WITS, empathy means seeking to truly understand and support others. It feels like the warmth
of an encouraging hand on a struggling student’s shoulder. It sounds like the silence of closed
and patient lips waiting for the right words to arise. It tastes like fresh banana bread baked by
WITS staff members to sweeten the early mornings.
At WITS, personal growth means constantly working to improve ourselves and ensuring that our
actions and values align. It looks like stacks of parent and teacher evaluations, each one carefully
read and considered. It sounds like hands grazing walls covered with art and writing as we roam
from classroom to classroom, seeking new ideas. It feels like a child’s sweaty palms as she
overcomes her fear of public speaking and reads her poem aloud.
At WITS, being true to oneself means embracing our unique interests and talents and using them
to uplift others. It smells like damp dirt on a nature walk while a WITS writer shares his passion
for the outdoors. It looks like a teacher wiggling unabashedly as she acts out a picture book for
her second grade students. It sounds like classical music spiraling through one classroom and
meditation hanging in the air of another, with students empowered by the authenticity of both.
Twelve years ago, I sat mesmerized as my WITS teacher turned ordinary words into a magical
conglomeration of sounds that rang like bells in my ears. On my last few days as an intern with
this organization, I am just inspired as I was back then— because at WITS, you are constantly
surrounded by people who inspire you to grow. When I think about the most important qualities
for a person or an organization to embody, WITS encompasses them all.