A Touching Gesture

On Veteran’s Day this year, Woodbury High School held its annual Veteran’s Day Program.  The AFJROTC program plans this assembly each year with the help of the band, choir, administration and numerous other people.  With over 2000 people stuffed into a gymnasium, you could hear a pin drop as the table ceremony was presented(http://www.afa.org/members/powmia.asp.) The choir sang, the band played the armed forces salute, which is a traditional song played in honor of all the branches of service.  The ASL classes interpreted the national anthem sung by the choir.  The AFJROTC presented the colors, and dignitaries spoke and introduced several veterans that were in the audience, including teachers and school staff that had served.  Major Petzold acknowledged all students with a connection to someone who has served by asking them to stand, while the audience applauded.  The students were the most respectful participants that I have ever seen at this yearly assembly. There were many touching moments, and many tears, but the most touching moment for me came after the program ended…the band stopped playing, the choir filed out, and the administration headed back to resume their daily duties.  Two students walked over to the Veterans that were sitting in the bleachers and said “Thank You” as they reached out to shake their hands.  Then within a minute, several students walked behind and held out their hands to the Veterans.  A few minutes later  there was a line-up of students talking to the veterans and shaking hands. For as long as I can remember, students have walked out of this ceremony without even glancing over at the Veterans, almost avoiding eye contact altogether.  Not this time, not this year.  At that moment, I was extremely proud to be a member of the Woodbury High School Community.  

You can view the entire program on this website. http://sowashco.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=3&clip_id=81

Homecoming Traditions: A New Direction?

There is something to be said for keeping traditions, but sometimes they need to be re-evaluated and possibly changed. In the past, homecoming week has had a different kind of atmosphere.  One tradition was to have a “friendly” competition among the grade levels.  This included different class t-shirts designed by the students denoting one’s grade level, pep fest activities that created again a “friendly” rivalry among the  classes, and signs were allowed that had subtle put-downs of the underclassmen.  Unfortunately not all the students are mature enough to know when to stop.  In high school I remember being afraid of the upper classmen, not knowing what the upper classmen may do to me.  With an acute awareness of possible bullying and hazing activities, the WHS student council leadership helped to organize of week of  a “Royal Nation of One.”  There was only one homecoming t-shirt promoted by the student council for all the classes.  The week was filled with events that included all classes equally, and the homecoming pep fest eliminated the “tradition” of pitting the classes against each other.  Many senior students  felt “robbed” of their moment of superiority over the other classes, but they’ll get over it and move on.  Our students will benefit with a much more inclusive feeling, thus creating a safer environment for all students.

Empty Nest Skyping

I am a newly born empty-nester.  I have spent the last 18 years focused on my one and only child.  Now that he has graduated and gone to college, I find myself thinking about what new adventures he is experiencing.  He has moved on, which is what our goal was as his parents. But I don’t know if I am quite there yet. So, I have found my crutch for slowly weaning myself from wondering what he is doing.  My crutch is called “Skype.”  Skype is a software application that allows users to make live video calls over the Internet.  Oprah has talked about it for years, but I never felt it could be useful to me, until now.  So, as I check my email nightly and work online grading my student’s projects, once in a while I get a “Skype” notification from my son, and even if just for a few minutes, I am able see him and hear about something new he learned, saw, or tried…I know he is safe and it’s a nice ending to my day.        

You can download your free Skype software from www.skype.com. It takes only a couple of minutes to set it up.  If you don’t have a camera on your computer you can still skype chat by talking or chatting with the other person.