The concept of "Second Sleep" emerged from my experiences teaching on Cleveland’s East Side. While working there, I encountered many students labeled as “behavior kids,” often removed from class for their actions. One day, a student entered my classroom upset after being kicked out of another class. When we talked, he revealed he had been awake for nearly three days because he had no bed to sleep in. He explained that his family shared a single twin-size mattress on the floor, which he had given up for his three younger siblings. Exhausted and irritable, his situation was entirely understandable. This story is just one of many I’ve witnessed, highlighting the profound impact of sleep deprivation on a child’s behavior and education. Over my eight years of teaching, I’ve seen different faces, but the same recurring issue: countless children in Cleveland go to bed each night without a proper place to sleep.
-Ashley Rose, President of Second Sleep