The last videos!

Here are the last two videos from our Camden trip last month (that makes 14 total!)

And with that, I'm done editing videos for a while!

goals.

I wanted to make a list of things I wish to do this quarter and put them somewhere where'd I remember them. If you didn't know, I only have 12 credits this quarter and have more than enough time on my hands. And sticky notes on my computer only hold so many words...

-Visit the Asian Art Museum

- Vist the museum of industry's exhibit on the 'clutch' (aka handbag, aka purse)

-Watch at least the Star Wars # 4 & 5 (apparently they're the best ones?)

-Make a few more dresses (and quit buying more fabric!!)

-Watch Tron (old and new ones)

-Use my bread machine at least once a week (Yum!)

-Find one new coffee shop (that sells decent tea)

Inspiration for the quarter:

Anybody want to join?

Fun Moments in Camden

Here is one more video of our Camden trip! (It will mostly make sense to those of us on the trip - as these were all the fun moments that didn't really fit with the other videos)

Home Again

Our team arrived safely back to the west coast last Wednesday evening, and now after catching up with friends and family, I have a few more videos to post. Here are two of them, at least one more is still to come!

Circle up the wagons of thankfulness

Today, the second 6th grade class was not cooperating and some people were saying some ungrateful things, so Ms. Parker decided to turn it into a teachable moment, telling the class to circle up and be prepared for a class discussion. The students quickly moved their desk and after getting an explaination of the 'cube of respect' (as I named it) - they could only speak when the cube was in their hand - they began to talk about what they were thankful for. Some were a slow to come up with something, but all did find something in the end.

Here is a sample:

They are thankful for

a class discussion (aka no book and board learning :) )

funny friends

food on the table and clothes on my back

learning about the periodic table

great teachers and good education

parents and clothing

family and friends

opportunity to sing at the school's talent show

This discussion made me think - what am I thankful for?

a loving, supportive family

friends to laugh and cry with

God's grace

people willing to invest in my life

a warm house

healthy body, happy soul

under armor

an opportunity to go to grad school

kids who are searching to do the right thing, even though their days are full of drama :)

Friday!

Friday was kind of a crazy day at the Camden Forward School - there was apparently an 'incident' in the morning and half the teachers were in a meeting taking care of it. The remaining teachers couldn't handle holding regular class, so for most of the morning (and all afternoon, as it turned out) the students were in the sanctuary/lunch room basically playing all day. For a short while, the overseeing teachers tried to hold classes in the big room, but there were just too many kids for two teachers. We did have about two normal class periods, but they were brief. As you'll see in the video, the kids are creative with their free time :)

Also on Friday, we had the opportunity to help out with the Boatworks after school program run by Jesus Castro, who started the program last year. This year, the 6th graders are building a canoe and the older kids are building a kayak. It's pretty sweet!

Waterfront South

If you read my post a while back about waterfront south, watch this video - it covers some of what I was discussing, but also introduces Andrea, a woman working to transform the city through gardening and artwork.