Damn it Vanessa Zalapa you had me at Dear Citizen Schools

As I type this post... I find myself laughing at the fact that my emotions are on a delayed timer! It takes me a while to really let things soak and to really understand the depth of a moment. I don't know why I can't just express everything in one single swoop and get all those hard feelings out at the time they are needed, but needless to say it makes for awkward moments sometimes!

Example: Had a hard break-up once that took me forever to get over... had not really dealt with the emotions aspect of it as fast as I thought!  One night (a very long time afterwards) I watched the movie Vanilla Sky and at the end... when Tom Cruise has to make the decision to either continue to live in a fantasy where he had captured his soulmate or  he has to wake up and deal with the reality that he missed his chance to be with her... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTb95TxUc2M
( my eyes started to tear up and I began crying ! ( HAVE YOU EVER HEARD A GROWN MAN CRY!)

I know friends are going to let me have it for that part but it lead me to this part!

Today, I had a 6th grader name Vanessa make the entire staff cry.. she's legally blind, so she has a Braille machine... she wrote a letter to the Citizen Schools staff in Braille and read it during our staff meeting about how we supported her and how she loves each of the staff memebers... and how we help her during her Tuesday Apprenticeship!



Vanessa is the young lady in the middle!

 Immediately the staff, one by one, just peeled over! Even the Iron Man himself, had to step out of the Office and wipe his eyes!  But as amazing as that was, and how moved I was, I didn't cry!  I know its coming.... sometime soon... it could be while I'm chilling with you.. I just might tear up for no damn reason or cry Vanessa's name out!  Just warning you!

But, Vanessa we are so proud of you and are excited that you are in program! Keep up the work

SIX DEGREES OF CULLEN JONES

Here is my latest blog post for the Citizen Schools Second Shift Blog! Check it out and let me know what you think!!!

6th Degrees of Cullen Jones

In January 23 of my 8th Grade students will put the concept of “6 degrees of separation” to the test. They will host a huge networking fair that will help them realize the power of communication. Although the seniors of Citizen Schools have been learning about networking, we have group of 6th and 7th graders who are actually putting the “6 degrees” idea to the test.

Citizen Teacher Lauren Harris is teaching our apprentices how to swim

These 6th & 7th graders are part of an apprenticeship led by Aycock Recreation Aquatics Manager Lauren Harris and supported by second year Teaching Fellow Sara Kelleher. Their mission is to learn about water safety and the mechanics of swimming so that they can successfully compete in a relay race for their WOW.

This apprenticeship was created as part of a sustainability leadership project that Sara Kelleher was working on for her Master's degree at Lesley University. According to the research, the drowning rate of black children ages 5 to 14 is 3.1 times the rate compared to white children of the same age. During conversations with Sara, we've come to realize that unless our children have access to the Recreation Center and make sure that parents really push for them to learn, many of our kids will go through life not developing a survival l skill like swimming. I informed Sara that I was a prime example of someone who, as a child, didn't have much access to a pool or the beach. Sara saw a problem that is both a community and national issue, and found a way to have a large impact on it.

What does this have to do with 6 degrees?” Well, I’m glad you asked! Our students are attempting to reach out to Olympic Swimmer, Gold Medalist, and former NC State student Cullen Jones.

They all wrote letters to the Olympic Swimmer:

We are trying to go viral with facebook, twitter, tumblr... the works! But we need your help.

We need you to post this entry to any and every social media page you have... we need to actually put the “6 Degrees” concept into action between now and December 9th, so that we can communicate to Mr. Cullen Jones how meaningful it would be if he came and supported (or even swam a lap with the kids) at their WOW! Will you help us in our mission? Pass this article on to all your contacts and networks!!

Olympic Swimmer and Gold Medalist Cullen Jones is a
former member of the NC State Swim Team. We're trying to get him to our
WOW and we need your help