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Tag Archives: children


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Poetry Under the Stars

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We had an event at our elementary school Wednesday evening called Poetry Under the Stars. It was the first year for this event, but I think it will be back in the future. At least I hope so.

Our phenomenal powerhouse of a PTA president approached me with the idea of hosting this event, and she asked for my thoughts. I’m not shy about putting in my two cents, and I do love kids and poetry, so I shared my thoughts and agreed to help out.

A flyer went home asking kids to a submit a poem if they would like to read at the event. The response was overwhelming. Old favorites showed up (there was plenty of Shel Silverstein shared) and original poetry by our own students was submitted. We took them all.

The kids arrived at school in the evening with their families and blankets and fortified themselves with hot cocoa and cookies. Then they entered the “Poetry Pit” for the event. One of the very few benefits of having a school that was built in 1975 is that there are giant concrete “pits” with stair-step levels that allow access to the lower level classroom of our split-level school.

Okay, so maybe they aren’t a benefit most of the time, but for our event the pit was transformed. A microphone was hooked up, and beautiful starlight illuminated the back wall, which displayed some cool fifth grade artwork.

One by one our little poetry buffs made their way to me and the mic and read their poems for the appreciative audience. Even a few of our kindergarteners shared poems, and they were adorable.

I have to tell you, in my role as MC I got to stand near every kid as they read, and during the entire event I think there were only three mispronunciations. Incredible. Those kids were prepared and confident!

In all we had kids sharing poetry for nearly an hour. Last I heard there were fifty-one kids who read a poem. Fifty-one kids showing up for literacy, and all of them brought along people who cared about them. What an amazing thing. What a wonderful thing. What a community commitment to our kids.

Say what you will about testing and common core and “kids today,” but events like this one remind me that I still have the best job in the world.


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Daily Passion Prompt 22: This I Believe

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This I Believe
Every child deserves to be loved and cherished.
He deserves to have some adult in his life who is willing and able to do whatever is necessary to ensure the he has a roof over his head, good food in his belly, and a safe place to lay his head at night.
Every child deserves to live free from fear.
She deserves to live in a world without bombings or raids, a world without drive-by shooting or muggings, a world without adults who rage and hurt each other and her.
Every child deserves the chance to grow up healthy.
He deserves medical care beginning even before birth and clean and sanitary living conditions.
He deserves to escape harm and injury and disease.
He deserves a world where things like chemotherapy and dialysis are unnecessary, and good health is the normal condition for all.
Every child deserves the chance to learn.
She deserves stories and songs and puppets and games.
She deserves trips to the market and conversations about apples and soup and kittens.
She deserves to learn language and numbers and how to get along with her playmates.
She deserves access to a formal education.
Every child deserves to know that he is important and unique and wanted and loved.
This I believe.


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Daily Passion Prompt 23: Volunteer, Reporting for Duty

Today’s Prompt:

IF YOU COULD VOLUNTEER FOR A CHARITABLE CAUSE, WHICH CAUSE WOULD YOU VOLUNTEER FOR?  WHAT HITS HOME FOR YOU?

When I was in college I volunteered as a Big Sister through my university. It wasn’t the best run program, but it was better than nothing. I didn’t my a “little sister” of my own, and as a result I didn’t really have the buy in that is usually associated with volunteer opportunities. Here’s how it worked. On Friday afternoons (Friday? Really? College students, hello… anyone ever hear of happy hour?) a group of us would pile onto a bus for the ride to the projects. We were dropped off in a gym teeming with kids. They were great, those kids. They were thrilled that we came and played with them every week. There were organized games, and disorganized games and time to visit and hang out. It was fun, but rarely would a “big” and “little” form a bond under this system. I wanted something more.

3 girls BLater, after I relocated to the southwest, I had time on my hands and needed a productive outlet. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do exactly, but I knew I wanted to work with kids in an ongoing capacity. I contacted a volunteer clearinghouse, and they had the perfect fit. I became a brownie troop leader for a group of kids living in poverty. Most of them were bilingual, and all of them were adorable. And guess when we met? Yes, after school on Fridays. Those little girls were thrilled with every activity we did, loved every song we sang, and devoured every snack we shared. They marched in a parade, sold cookies outside a bank, and dressed up for a fancy tea party. I loved those little girls with their chocolate eyes and names that became familiar to my gringa tongue.

large-09012lThose brownie days were a long time ago, but they are burned into my mind. At the time is cost $6 to join the brownies. Many of the girls didn’t have it. We had a wonderful sponsor who paid their registrations, bought them uniforms, registered them in that parade, and took them to that tea party. She bought them girl scout handbooks, and supplied snacks every week. She was a kindhearted woman who wanted to give something back to the universe. I learned from her.

The causes I give my time and talents to benefit children. Children need to be protected, cherished, and challenged. This I believe, and I put my proverbial money where my mouth is to prove it.