Your Mountain is Waiting...

Well, we've done it.  This amazing little group of young people has completed yet another school year.  It wasn't just any school year... it was a huge one.  It was a year full of growth, of friendships, of field trips to awesome places, of challenging assignments, of life lessons, of growing up.  I have been so blessed to have had a front row seat, not just for a year, but for two or three years with each of these precious kids.  I have seen them transition from chubby cheeked children into blossoming youth. 

 Our last day was a great one!  The class had a special treat.  The Southern Crescent Storytellers came and the kids had their very own storytelling workshop!  They learned important skills for public speaking, tips for telling a great story, and even practiced with some improv.  It only took a little time for them to warm up, and in no time they were using their new skills!  The class told a couple guided stories with Ms. Anne and Mr. Neil, learned about story-boarding, and were so enjoying the workshop that they asked to take turns sharing their own stories!   After the session, the children "graduated", receiving a storytelling diploma, as well as a book of stories and fables.  It was a great experience!

After lunch, the class gathered to share their Civil Rights Leader posters.  Each student was given a different Civil Right Leader to study.  The posters were graded on creativity, neatness, grammar, capitalization, and punctuation.  Boy, have these kids come a long way since their first poster projects! These were amazing!

Finally, the students finished sharing their persuasive essays on the Bill of Rights.  Again, I have asked a lot of these kids... and they have risen to the challenge!  Over the past three years, Ms. Sharon, Ms. Bev, and I have lead these students through the writing process.  In the beginning, writing was so stressful for them.  They were unsure of their writing voice, and they shed tears over it!   Over the last three months, they have demonstrated their progress in narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive writing.  I could not be more proud of them!  Good job, guys!

Next year will be different, but I know that the strong bonds formed in the past few years are firmly planted!  As each child makes their way through the next journey in their education, I want each one of them to take with them the confidence, kindness, strength, and motivation that I have seen them exhibit in class with me. 

“You're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting,
So... get on your way!”

― Dr. Seuss, Oh, The Places You'll Go!