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