Betty Bass - Student of The Month

Betty Bass, an eighth grader at Word of Life, came to St. Louis from Sierra Leone when she was five years old. She, her mother and baby brother joined her grandmother, grandfather and several aunts and uncles, who had come to St. Louis several months earlier. She remembers very little about Sierra Leone, including the language she spoke there, although now she speaks Creole, which helps her communicate with fellow immigrants from Sierra Leone. Her father and her three older brothers remain in Sierra Leone and she has not seen them since she left eight years ago.

Betty attended Scruggs Elementary for kindergarten through second grade, which is where she learned English. She transferred to Word of Life for third grade and is debating between Lutheran South, Gateway Science Academy and Central Academy for the Arts for high school.

Drawing and fashion design are favorite activities for Betty, who is considering a career in fashion design. She is learning to sew, and has several books that allow her to design clothing for paper models. She also loves music—hip hop, gospel and rap—and sings in the Word of Life Choir; she dreams of being a female rapper and singer. Another career option she is considering is teaching. Right now she plays basketball, and expects Word of Life to have a good girls’ team this year.

She is in confirmation class at Timothy Lutheran Church, where she is also an active member of the Junior Youth Group. Occasionally she joins the Tagloma Fellowship for their Saturday evening gatherings at the Peace Center organized by Gerald Brewah, although most of the people who participate are adults.

By Dr. Judith Meyer