Week 29: Re-energizing

Interested students crowd around the Youth Police Officer at lunch

This week was full of:  Inviting a local Youth Police Officer to visit lunch and recruit kids for their programs, playing trash can ball with the juniors, the first CY Ambassadors meeting with selected juniors (run by Ms. Serrano), our Candyland-themed VIP lunch for improved freshmen, a couple fights at school, our first orientation meeting as the future Senior Corps members next year, having Jana visit our school one day, and a much needed team dynamic discussion.

Quotes of the Week: "If I were a teacher, I'd take control.  Just say what I mean and mean what I say."  - J, a junior, on how to be an effective teacher.

"See, I can't walk in his hood, and he can't walk in my hood, because if they know you're not from around there, you're in trouble."  - V, a junior, with his best friend L
"Ms. Lewis, did you hear about the shooting last night?  Someone was killed right there... and we were just talking about that yesterday with you..."

"Let me tell you, these black people, if something starts, they're gonna get it done.  It's not a good way, but that's how it is."  - J, a junior, in class

"As a black male back then, I was told I was a failure.  And I believed it.  Do you know how much that can mess a person up?  I was labeled and put in special education.  I had teachers who told me I could never fly a plane.  Guess what's in my pocket right now - my pilot's license." - A sub at our school

"You're asking if I want to become a cop?" (boys crack up at the absurd thought) "See, you don't stay where I stay, Ms. Lewis, so you don't understand."  "There's a cop who lives on my street, and he gets in a lot of trouble with the people on our street just for being a cop."  

"Ms. Lewis, what happens when I go to get a job and I have 3 offenses on my record?"  - J, a junior

"Every day, that's my diet, a spoonful of hatred. You see? And it's just a question of when is this going to erupt. And upon whom is it going to erupt? Am I gonna attack myself? Am I gonna attack my brother?" - From the movie Crips and Bloods: Made in America (highly recommend!!)  

"Why do you want to serve?  You've all changed and grown since the last time I asked you that same question on September 1st, right in this room."   - Jewan, at our Senior Corps orientation

Ls:  Open communication with team members.  Always.

Joys:  Hugging a junior and seeing him light up when he returned from a couple weeks of recovery after a bad car crash.

Week 28: Discussing

Relaxing after school

This week was full of:  Starting to realize that the end is near.  Our last round-table discussion with Jewan, our last Leadership Development Day at TJ, a grant-writing workshop, and one really late night at school. 

Quotes of the week:  "With all the upcoming events, there are really only 8 real weeks left.  End the year strong...." - Jewan

"The new set of eyes that you all bring is invaluable.  Don't hesitate to share ideas or concerns."  - Teachers at the panel discussion

"We've been together for going on 2 years.  It's about that time." - E, a freshman, casually discussing getting a tattoo of his girlfriend's name.  

Basically anything by Rafe in Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire

Words of Wisdom by my freshmen: 

"You become what you want to become.  It's all about how hard you work."  
"Whatever you do, do it with pride."
"Education is the key to all things."
"You have to start somewhere to get where you want to be."

What is your favorite season?
"Summer (except for the violence)."  - A freshman

Joys:  Watching J work so hard on his painting after first being nervous to start, hearing teachers talk about their relationships with corps members, and collecting ideas for next year.

Week 27: Sunshining

Made for me by a 9th grade boy :-)

This picture does nothing to capture the atmosphere, but Lisa announcing after the super fancy Ripples of Hope dinner that we raised over $500,00!  I was seated next to execs from a bank who are on the CY board, and the director of City Year Milwaukee

This week has been full of: working at the office on Pulaski Day, observing a student in Ms. H's class, our school Data Dialogue Day where teachers discussed test results, discussing race and poverty after reading "The Lesson" in class, and starting a new play (A Raisin in the Sun).  


Quotes of the Week: "I used to live in K town, but I like it here better cuz there's more action.  At my old school we would make groups to fight because there's only one high school, but here we can just fight the other schools... my uncle's been hurt, he got his head busted, my cousin too... I was hit with a bat once, but it wasn't bad..." - G, a freshmen, on the bus to school

"You stay away from Ms. Lewis, she's my friend!" - G to another student the next day... oh boy....

"He's my baby,  I've had him since he was one day old.  His mom was on cocaine and all that, so I took care of him..." - A proud parent during a phone call home

"... and then the mom told me that her son hasn't been at school because she just lost her job and can't afford the bus fare to send her kids to school every day..." - A fellow corps member speaking at the Ripples of Hope dinner

"WHERE is everyone?  Where are we supposed to be?!" - Phil and I, during Ripples of Hope

"That's something else I have trouble with, too." - S, a junior, about telling time on a clock 

"Ms.Lewis is a wonderful teacher. She's there when you need her, and willing to stay after school with you as long as it takes to help you. She won't rest until you understand it. She's pushed me to learn and I have nothing but respect for her" - An anonymous student on getschooled.com

"... pants, cool... shirt, cool... heart, cool... cy chi town..." - A student mumbling in class

L:  Give some students 5 minutes of genuine attention and they'll do almost anything for you.  It makes me wonder about their previous experiences that they respond so quickly to interest in them.  However, it's also reassuring that love can go so far.

Joys: Buying E McDonald's because I lost a "bet" we made - if he moves closer to the front and away from his friends, his grades would go up (and they did!); running into M at the bus stop on the way home; J purposely missing a basket so I wouldn't lose by as much <3