#26 Acts

Hello again! Yes, it has been a really, really long time since I posted. Since my last blog (we won't say how long it has been), I have been busy teaching, hanging with my family, and helping at church. Sloane is almost four and loves all things sports related (didn't get that from me). Matt is still employed with a health care company, specializing in software used on the business side of hospitals. Last year, I found a teaching job in late July at a local charter school. I had the opportunity to work with amazing teachers and fabulous kids. We discovered that the charter school system and I were not a good fit (long back story which would take about 12 blogs to cover), so around February I started to look for a job in the public school system. Texas is rumored to be the hardest state to get a teaching license (if you are from out-of-state), I can tell you that is true. It is also very, very difficult to get into the public school system unless you know someone already working in a district. I applied in about 25 districts for close to 75 jobs. Two job fairs, five interviews, and a very long summer later, I was hired to teach junior high English - the day before school started. Our administration shared that they had over 9,000 applicants and only invited the top 425 to their job fair (for you non-math people, that is less than 5%). I must say that I have to credit God and God alone for this job. Several people were praying for me in the process and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. I felt your prayers and appreciated every one!

Last year, on December 14, 26 precious people lost their lives in a tragedy in New Town, CT at Sandy Hook Elementary School. I sat at my desk after the kids had gone home, and wept for the families and first responders. A few of my colleagues and I prayed together, unable to comprehend this monumental loss. Sandy Hook happened on a Friday. That weekend, Matt and Sloane packed up and headed to K.C. to be with family for Christmas; I was flying up a few days later. While I was packing, I had the tv on and the program I was watching told of Ann Curry's tweet challenge (now known as #26 Acts). She encouraged everyone to do 26 acts of kindness to remember and honor the lives lost. People were buying 26 cups of coffee and cocoa for strangers, donating 26 blankets, paying the toll for the next 26 cars, etc. As I watched, I thought, "I may not have enough money to buy 26 cups of Starbucks, but I can do 26 random acts of kindness."  So my journey began.

I found it to be rather easy, I gave cookies to my cab driver (in addition to his tip), I gave the flight attendants candy, helped strangers with directions, helped my neighbor with her trash, helped another neighbor whose food stamps had run out, picked up after other people's dogs, etc. When I reached 26, I realized that this would also be a great project for my eighth graders. When we got back from Christmas break, I explained the history of #26 Acts, what I did, and encouraged them to try and do it. I gave them a month and told them I would check back in to see what they had done.

Admittedly, I was skeptical; 13 and 14 year olds can have a tough time thinking outside of their insular boxes. My students blew me away. They gave food and money to the homeless, helped their siblings with projects, cooked for their parents, helped their friends and classmates, and volunteered to help the younger kids at school. We made a bulletin board outside my room to showcase what they had done. Our administration was so impressed with the project, they made it a school-wide project. They then covered our glass entry way with hand-drawn pictures of what the kids did. Again, amazing.

So this year, I challenged my students again. But I teach Pre-Advanced Placement students, so I upped the ante on them(so I gave them seven weeks to complete the project). They had to create a one minute presentation explaining to their classmates what they did and what they learned. In addition to the presentation, they also had to write a paper telling me how this project has impacted them. Once again, never, ever underestimate youth. My students helped feed, clothe, and warm the homeless, they volunteered at church, helped their parents, led scout trips, brought cookies to teachers, wrote thank you notes to teachers and adults who help them, helped disabled classmates, babysat for free, and on and on the list goes. I had to fight back tears as I read their papers. Most of them told me that they were inspired to continue the project on their own, because this is how we should act all the time, not just because it was an assignment.

As we approach the one year anniversary of Sandy Hook, we will also celebrate Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas. I would like to challenge you to do #26 Acts. It doesn't have to cost you a dime. Open a door, give a compliment, let that other driver merge, share your chocolate, say a kind word, clean up the mess you didn't make, the list goes on and on. Having done this challenge twice, I can tell you it will change your outlook on life, people, and whatever circumstances you have going on in your life. Do it. I double dog dare you!