First day of school marks second chance for mom, daughter

London Britton, 10, pulls away as her mother, Rosina Britton, gives her a goodbye kiss in her new classroom on her first day at a new school, Whidby Elementary. London Britton, 10, pulls away as her mother, Rosina Britton, gives her a goodbye kiss in her new classroom on her first day at a new school, Whidby Elementary. Photo: Johnny Hanson Photo: Johnny Hanson Image 1 of / 21 Caption Close First day of school marks second chance for mom, daughter 1 / 21 Back to Gallery

By 6:20 a.m. Monday, Rosina Britton was dressed in her all-black uniform, makeup meticulously applied, and seated on the couch in her apartment with her 10-year-old daughter in front of her.

Rosina, 35, was brushing London's waist-length raven hair into a smooth half-ponytail.

It was the first day of school. For both of them.

London would head off to her first day at a new elementary school. Rosina was readying for cosmetology classes at Houston Community College.

The day was particularly special for Rosina, a recovering drug addict who spent years in jail and at a homeless shelter. It marked another chance at redemption.

And there was no way either mother or daughter would be late for school, Rosina told herself. She previously relied on a day-care bus to take London. No more.

"Wash your face," Rosina told London, still barefoot and in her red pajama pants.

"I did," the girl said.

London, a fifth-grader, was newly enrolled at Whidby Elementary, which is closer to the south Houston apartment complex where she and her mom live. Buckner Family Place, a nonprofit that helps single parents pursuing higher education, arranged the housing for the Brittons and subsidizes the rent.

It was a much-needed second chance for Rosina, a high school dropout who got hooked on drugs at 14. She sobered up behind bars four years ago. She has since earned her GED and now is in her second year of classes at HCC, studying to become a hairdresser.

Rosina helped London into her school uniform, a white, collared shirt tucked into a knee-length navy blue skirt. She wanted to get London to school early, around 7:30 a.m., so she could help her find her classroom. Rosina handed the child a hand-me-down cell phone.

"Put this in your backpack and do not - do not - turn it on until you get out of school."

A photo for Grandma

In case she ran late at HCC in the afternoon, Rosina wanted a way to let her daughter know.

They left home at 7:04 a.m., arriving at Whidby 14 minutes later. The doors weren't open yet. Britton took a photo of a smiling London to send to her grandma.

"Next year you're going to be in middle school," Rosina told London as they waited in the hot sun. "Wow."

Three years ago, Britton was released from jail after serving 18 months for theft - stealing to buy drugs. She had already lost custody of her son, Daymond. She told herself then she would do everything differently this time around.

London stayed with family in Texas City while Rosina went through substance abuse treatment at the Star of Hope shelter in Houston. The two lived there for about a year and a half until Buckner approved Rosina's application.

First to arrive

On Monday, Britton was the mom she wanted to be. London was the first to arrive in her fifth-grade class.

"You'll be OK?" Britton asked and then kissed a squeamish London on her left cheek. "Be good. Have fun."

Rosina lingered in the hall for a few minutes, then waved goodbye.

She had 30 minutes to get to HCC's southeast campus - seemingly enough time but with rush hour, who knew?

At 8:11 a.m., with four minutes to spare, Rosina signed in for her hair color class. She took a seat in the back of the classroom, and showed a friend a photo of London, smiling in her school uniform.

ericka.mellon@chron.com twitter.com/e_mellon