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Let me just say in advance that I do not recommend this for the faint of heART. Brent and I did a walking field trip with the students- walked close to 5 miles in south Florida in May (it's bascially already summer)...and then we did our art opening that same night. Both went AMAZING! And now that I have had a full day to recover I can tell you all about it, so have a seat, get comfy, grab your coffee and keep on reading. |
We were out of school on Wednesday for graduation...yay! Brent and I got ourselves presentable to join the rest of the staff in seeing the class of 2018 across the stage and off into the world. |
Waaaay back in May 2009 John and I were living in Greenville, NC...and we were working on our graduate degrees.
And then...
I graduated with my MAEd.
This was a HUGE deal for me. Not only because I worked SO HARD for my degree...but honestly, I worked so hard to go to college in the first place for my undergraduate degree. When I was growing up for the early part of my life it was usually just me and momma. She worked second, sometimes third shirt at a local factory to make sure the bills were paid. We stayed with granny some, we stayed with friends...things got better but money was always an issue. I lived in a three bedroom, one bath- no central heat and air. It wasn't ideal, but we made it. Regardless of the instability in my life the one thing that was always there was my mom's love for me and her certainty that I WOULD go to college. I never doubted it. I didn't know how- but I never doubted that I would go.
So I did. I was awarded a North Carolina Teaching Fellows Scholarship and I was able to attend ECU for my undergraduate degrees in Art Education and Textiles. But I didn't stop there. It took me some years later to begin the coursework and get back into it- but I pushed myself to go back and earn my graduate degree, and my National Board Certification the next year.
So when these pictures came across on my FB timeline today, it brought me back to that time, that joy- that love for learning. I'll never lose that, not ever.
The show is up now until May 13th...stop by and see it!
...here are the portraits from my #GirlTalkJLG (revisted) series.
I literally JUST missed Da'sha (bottom right) at the opening!
The class of 2018 is very special to me...because this is my 4th year at LWHS, too. The way our courses are set up, and especially with the magnet programs, I don't always get the same students from year to year- but sometimes I do...and some of the students I have just kept in touch with. I am always outside of my door in between classes to greet my students (best advice EVER- got that from Harry Wong's book, The First Days of School) so it has actually been easy to see all of the kids. |
So...it's kinda like we are graduating together- except I am sticking around here, of course!
Anyway, on senior checkout day I had the angels ready, along with clay pieces and sketches that needed to be picked up. I was able to hand out angels to almost every senior, will try to catch the rest of them at graduation.
In the meantime...I will leave one of my favorite quotes from the late, great Maya as a message to my seniors;
“Nothing can dim the light that shines from within.”
-Maya Angelou
Author
Artist and Art Teacher
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