Welcome to the countdown of 15 things you can do, in doors, and out, for your community!
Volunteer your time and talents
““Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality.”
Volunteering amid the coronavirus pandemic may present new challenges, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be an active participant in your community! Reach out to local schools to see how you can help teachers in their virtual classrooms, raise money for food banks in your area, or even ask an elderly neighbor if they need help taking care of their yard.” (From https://www.audacy.com/news/lessons-from-dr-martin-luther-king-jr-we-can-use-in-the-present-day)
Over the next three days keep checking in as we add more and more possibilities you can do, indoors and out, to improve your community!
COLD. Yes, it is VERY cold, a cool 20 degees Fahrenheit today sooo- we will be represented at The Vince Morris Trail at Chapel Branch at this morning, imitating a warmer version of Friluftsliv but we want your visit to NRWC property to be comfortable and enjoyable. DO NOT worry if today is too cold to leisurely take in the trail, we understand it is probably too cold today but we will have another next week again!
In the meantime, leading up to Martin Luther King Jr’s Day of Service January 17, 2022, we’d like to pull some of the listed activities that you can contribute to your community, with, inside and outside!
Media Literacy is huge, and piggy backing on #1, we desperately need a push with increasing uses of social media, for future generations to receive the correct instruction on how to discern messaging on all sorts of media. Go ahead whole your are advocating today and support the Senate Bill 195 (SB 195) and let your legislators know you do feel the education and awareness of media literacy, by certified school librarians, is a vital part of education – that is what brings you to us and we hope brings future generations to us! (Beware of the tree octopus !)
What do you know personally about Poison Ivy, Sassafras, Black Oak, and Mountain Laurel? We’d like to hear your “Did you know’s” as we are moving forward with a Chapel Branch field guide for students! Send any and all cool trivia and facts you know to us and we will credit you and put your knowledge to use informing younger generations! (All info can be sent ot harry.brake@gmail.com).
Stay tuned for 12 more ways from now until Monday evening on how you can play a part in community service from your home and by getting out for the MLK Day of Service!
Camila de la Parra I still brag about today, every chance I get. Thanks to her patience, we started Repentino. in Mexico City and it still exists this day, morphing into one of the greatest representations of Mexican student ingenuity and expression I have imagined. It is amazing to see something continue and symbolize so much – and be a conduit for so much talent. That is Camila in a nutshell.
Yet, when I had met Ms Alondra de La Parra and Mane de la Parra thanks to a graduation invite in the home, I was mystified. So much talent in one room and they were there, IN THE FLESH! LOL. Camila was worried at the time of being her own person. She never had to worry. She has always been her creative, talented self as well as has been her brother Mane, sister Alondra, and her father Manelick de la Parra. It is amazing to see some much unique creativity in family but they always taught me a lesson, there is NEVER a “too late” to delve into something you are unfamiliar with and make your own.
The night I attended Ms Alondra de la Parra’s concert, she had West Side Story on the screen behind the orchestra, during the film, it was MAGICAL. The portion following the show, where she played music and had everyone in the audience dancing in the aisles and front of the orchestra pit, Magical.
Despite the ugh of 2021 and the ugh that tries to present itself in 2022, we have moments to allow creativity and possibility to survive and exist. Thank you for teaching me that lesson over and over Camila, Mane, Alondra, and Manelick de la Parra 🙂 Happy New Year!
MEL’s Burger BAR in NYC!A Most memorable Capping ceremonyPosing Columbia U stylede la Parra extravaganza!Meeting architect Michael Arad at the 911 Memorial
Looking back on a Christmas 2021 – I realized how sneakily it slid past, without truly, 100% recognizing what an impact others made to others this holiday. I had walked into a Wal Mart and saw already Valentine’s items up – and it is still December. The opportunity to SLOW moments down, to reflect on them, to soak them in, and have time to truly appreciate them, lives on a totally different time scale in Mexico than in the United States.
While both American, two different realities exist when it comes to the element of time devoted to reflection and celebrations – often over way to quick to absorb. Here are a few examples of extraordinary giving that occurred, that competed and helped many overcome the setbacks that 2021 presented to many.
Front stage and CENTER Having been invited to a colleague’s Christmas party – I found myself in the Rehoboth area stopping at a Dollar Tree store in search of labels for a funny / strange Christmas gift exchange that would be occurring that afternoon. Sure enough – Murphy’s Law would strike- (ironic history of this phrase, right? Check that link!) – For the last few days my 1997 Mercury Mountaineer, which has weathered several trips back and forth to Mexico City to Delaware and back, pile ons of whole Seaford Cross Country Teams, and carrying 6 total animals (canines and felines) from Mexico to name just a few, decided not to start. Randomly the last few days, just not starting then starting, trying EVERYTHING, in lieu of having a new key made to open all doors from the outside, it just chose the most inconvenient time to do so.
Although, again, all of these had been unexpected and inconvenient in their own way. Hood up, generous individuals will ing to come over and offer help, a jump, advice, etc to no avail. Calling my colleague letting her know I wound probably NOT make the exchange but holding out for that moment my vehicle would decide to jump back on – and 1 1/2 hours later, Voila!- it started! I decided at this point, it would stay running until I reached my final destination, not ideal, but darn it, I was avoiding Murphy’s law! As you might have guessed, I missed the gift exchange but my friend was gracious enough to feed me, we chatted (yep with vehicle running) and she gifted me some pretty awesome center pieces their Mom has made – and although the frustrating things had happened, keeping the faith and following through with making that visit – no matter what, resulted in alot of those centerpieces going home with students to share with their families, that might not have had centerpieces at all made of real pine and items from the outdoors.
It was a gift that lit many people’s eyes up, presented a warm gathering following a difficult and frustrating vehicle experience, and transforming the whole concept of what a gift really is and how it evolves. I appreciate the gifts I received from so many during my time in Mexico City and carrying them forward with me to Delaware. Priceless.
Gifting the Gift of Giving – When I first received the email from our principal, Mrs. Kirkland, it read simply this:
I am a Trooper at Troop 5 in Bridgeville and I organize our annual charitable campaign, The Needy Family Fund. The reason for my e-mail is that I had the idea to offer the opportunity to assist with the wrapping of the gifts to some students who might need volunteer credit hours. I reached out to Mrs. Sharp and she referred me to you. If this is something you would like to offer to your students I would love to chat more to discuss details.
Students from the Woodbridge National Honor Society, classes that had signed up to assist in wrapping, as well as Woodbridge High Independent Study students, combined tackled volumes and stacks and stacks of presents. It would have taken all day – and yet, students kept coming back for more and more and more – and finished leaving nothing to be done for the remaining two periods that had signed up!
If you watched closely, during this process from period 1 to 5- the holiday music in the background,
students getting candy canes and looking like a small gift production factory during the whole wrapping process, -it was pretty out of this world amazing to see members of the State Trooper division, Woodbridge High Students and faculty involved in a process that they otherwise might never have found themselves in together. I think what is even more outstanding is having a principal that had ideas that ultimately will impact so many others, and passing the wand on to so many others to let such generous ideas to help others occur, and let others make it happen. Be it from the library, educator’s classrooms, the students’ ingenuity, putting SGA and other groups to the challenge, the belief that someone can believe in another to carry out a generous act- is a whole other type of giving. The whole gifting entourage we experienced in December, with so much happening, magical.
Photographs captured by Ms Fisher!
Wreathing and Writhing – One of the coolest opportunities was Deck the Halls day as we take a break to work through some holiday cheer at Woodbridge High the last day of break. One of our students, without hesitation, volunteered to be on hand in the Library Media Center that day to help with the making of book wreaths. This used to be our goal when we wrapped gifts at Barnes and Noble for the holidays, and while we had students waiting, we would make a craft, often being the holiday book wreath which always snagged attention of those coming in and out. Hands down, from checking burnt out holiday lights, to putting on the factory hat, Wesley was able to churn out several book wreaths to gift to faculty and administration, as well as sit down alongside another faculty member supporting them in learning how to make her own, in ADDITION to suggesting what would make a better centerpiece for the book wreath and sure enough – it was AMAZING! Knowing a student like Wesley, his attention span runs at a pace faster than mine (yeah, I know!) and his ability to focus his abilities to benefit and gift the above mentioned energies to so many others in such a short span of one afternoon? – Again, priceless.
Looking back on all of these amazing feats occurring in December, and thanks to the countless individuals that came together to make so many possibilities a reality, it is worth slowing down, NOT getting caught into the machinery of what is next months ahead of the “What’s Next?” and appreciating the gifts that have been gifted to us, right in front of us. That is worth bringing in the New Year, looking back on gifts such as these.
I LOVE magnetized letters. Maybe, well okay, I think I like the people who find the most hysterical phrases from the magnetized poetry – I think that it the real secret. The others.
As I was walking tonight with some contemplating hounds, I realized, how extremely reliant the profession of a certified librarian is on others – how much insight others have to truly liberate the possibilities for students, with the librarian as merely a conductor, yet almost a key maker (think The Matrix).
In the month of November, thanks to Senorita Moraima Reardon, a friend of hers, Nan Burns, discovered a dumpster in Maryland full of books for students, from kindergarten to high school – and I truly mean over 25 boxes FULL of books. The magnetized portion comes to play Ms. Reardon cam to me, the librarian NOT because she thought me superhuman and amazing – (though she gives me higher compliments than I deserve and have to tell ya, certified librarians and public librarians can be nothing short of superheroes) – but because we had done something before – found donated books and placed into the hands of those in need. We did that, and it served as a conduit, ultimately a magnet, that Ms Reardon found me and together we became stronger in making this tragedy of new books almost sent to the garbage, now into the hands of Sussex Montessori, The Nanticoke River Watershed Conservancy, and Read Aloud Delaware (Stacy!)
took on sorting through over 25 boxes FULL of every age, grade, type of book, jumbled together – and sorted them ALL and into categories for various locations where they would go – they did this over a 2 week period – and never a complaint. They often found books they knew from growing up and expressed nostalgia over this or that book, but sorted them all expertly. It also was INCREDIBLY amazing to see such a diversity of books represent Native Americans, Middle Eastern locations, Latin American traditions, African American history and ancestry, Jewish heritage and so many more- HOW CAN IT BE OKAY for these texts to be going into the garbage? They represent the very essence of respecting an open mind versus a mind being thrown away.
Add to this the contribution of Ms Smith who connected me with Sarah who enabled a pipeline to get some of the most amazing books to the Sussex Montessori school as well.
Add to this the WHS neighbor who donated cases of blank books and stories that enable students to create their own stories and have their own hardcovers already started.
These individuals mentioned above, allowed the train of distribution to occur, and benefit the community at large around us – they magnetized. Each and every one, working together and yet never being all physically together? How does this happen? I have learned the discipline and training of a certified librarian depends on how you take a look at the community around us, assess the needs, and fill them. This could be residential communities, non-profit communities, school communities, youth communities, public library communities, adult communities, and so much more- the ability to get resources, connect resources – be that being people, supplies, projects, or more – the ability to network this goals and align them with curriculum that is being taught in school – welcome to the aims, goals, and objectives of the role a certified librarian plays in today’s world.
It is extremely enlightening and promising to see students take on and believe in a need so strongly that they will make sure a project as getting books once discarded, that are brand new, and get into the hands of youth that will benefit from them. It started with someone wanting to reuse and save something new, and ended with someone receiving someone new and able to reuse what another seemed worthless. So many similarities to the way people see the role of a certified librarian, see school, see classes, she expectations, we can all learn so much from each other – magnetized for supporting our immediate community!
Actually, it should not be a secret at all, and yet it seems to be.
The School Library. So many misconceptions of what a library is- but as December’s Agenda shows you ( and not being done updated yet after three hours, so stay tuned, more coming!) – the misconception that a library is a placeholder for books only – many need to be reschooled on how valuable certified librarians, school libraries, and students that bring them alive make such an impact on daily school life.
This comment was posted about libraries in general I came across today regarding an initiative to fund public libraries in the state of Delaware:
It is VITAL to NOT lump one category into another, meaning public libraries, school libraries, paraprofessionals, and certified librarians work hand in hand, but all are needed-and they ALL work when working together. Take one away from another, you have a lesser chance of empowering students to their fullest potential in a very difficult time in education today.
The location where students can gather, heal socially, academically, and personally, is truly the high school library. Certified librarians are trained to latch onto social media, community events, and activities to involve students, and tie even the slightest detail to an aspect of curriculum that is being covered in school.
I cannot tell you the number of conversations I have had with students about how to approach a presentation, a homework assignment, an academic assignment, and just IDEAS that students have, WHILE we have been decorating, building, repairing, or another activity. The blending of fun, interests and academics is possible, DOES happen, and occurs in school libraries as well as public libraries. It is easy to NOT see this happening when you might not be in the middle of students on a daly basis to see it happening, but as a parent, community member, and/or advocate for education, talk to your public and school librarians and find out what and how you can see what is happening in and among your community!
Parents, guardians, supporters of active learning – we need you to continue to voice your concerns, requests, and interests in making sure, all schools have a center like the school library media center to express, create, and develop their interests, an have a professional and a center to exercise their freedoms to learn in a flexible way that leads to opportunities that are not even know yet! It happens every day with a school library and certified librarians!
It is invaluable and priceless, to haver students willing to share in-depth concerns of what surrounds them.
More than just “How are you doing?” but genuinely listening and following up on the experiences that impact our younger generations that become our future generations.
We had the distinct honor to spend some quick moments with Classic Upward Bound students to enlighten us on what was on their minds and hopefully, receive the support to address these concerns and take visible steps to address, change, and modify!
In listening to the books recommended by National Public Radio as the do, providing an amazing portal of selections to find JUST THE RIGHT BOOK that fits you – I also found a deeper story, quite inspiring. NPR’s book editor, Petra Mayer, passed away suddenly and unless you had heard or experienced her deep passion for all things that books can do for anyone, I mean ANYONE, then you might have just missed one of the most amazing examples of someone willing to share something powerful with another.
The fact that someone like Petra Mayer takes the time, and wants to take the time to give you a piece of something she has found, realized, or have stumbled across is a powerful treasure. There are may others that often you find are passionate about a specific interest, and also, passionate about willing to share this with you, to better a part of your life, for no other reason.
I find it amazing comforting to realize among all the uncomfortable situations that surround us, there is this shield, or force field of individuals if you will, that will push back just enough to make room for someone like me, for someone like you. Someone willing and so passionate about something, who is willing to stop, and explain how and why something is so important and share their passion and energy with you – call it what you will – but that is magical, that is powerful, and that is generous.
I admire the amazing impression Petra Mayer left on others through the interviews and choices she pushed forward to other to help them get through moments that they could not see past, and all done with the turn of a page or a choice of a book.
I will think of this now every time I look at NPR’s book portal – and I hope you will look at things differently too when you have someone willing to share their passion or discovery with you, in the hopes that they see someone that will understand the value of such an act.
In November – There is a huge, cool, project known as National Novel Writing Month, NANOWRIMO, and listening to NPR’s Saturday’s edition, the reverberations of Stephen Sondheim were again emphasized and with good reason. I realized how VITAL transfer is to EVERYTHING when it comes to internalizing and creating deeper meaning of concepts, ideas, and how we live our lives.
Stephen Sondheim truly revolutionized and rewrote the modern day musical is and has become. The fact that he waited until the script was done, SO HE COULD REPLICATE WHAT THE CHARACTERS were feeling, and no WONDER the scores he created seemed to come from within each character of his shows. He was painstakingly specific in his craft. This is a lesson that can be applied to EVERYONE and should be applied to every single individual as they live their life.
Football– our WHS team is undefeated and I hope they continue to keep their eye on painstakingly honing their craft, even in victory – it makes a difference in how you conduct yourself on and off the field.
Cross Country – Our WHS ladies and boys did what most people can not, and would not do over a period of five months, and some are still learning this – the dedication and commitment that they can use to hone their craft of doing their best when people are watching and when people are not – they can painstakingly create a shell of who they were if they pay attention to the details that make up their minutes, hours, days, weekends, weeks, seasons, championships.
National Novel Writing Month – It sounds impossible to create a 50, 000 novel in one month. It sounds pretty impossible to go a whole season undefeated, moving up to be 15th out of 31 XC teams in the state, impossible to get all A’s in the middle of a pandemic, impossible to move ahead in front of countless assignments week after week, and yet – it is possible. It is attainable and worth the sweat in the end.
Students – How much more powerful would studies be if every assignment created was tied to a childhood experience that teacher had, or someone else that that reminds them, ties them to something they experienced?
Teachers – the Fight is real to grasp and balance what is required and needed, and yet, the personal tied to the real life a-ha is there, and often so hard to bend around to get to, yet a lifetime of value is there when students transfer the personal to the real – and yes, the struggle is real when we are surrounded by 30 + at a time- the fight towards this is the payoff is lingering out there. It needs to be EASIER to allow teachers to get students to that point. I STILL to this day remember my Bilo Managers, teachers from Butler High to college, that provided lessons I connected to my life, we are lucky to have such teachers at Woodbridge High and it makes the difference in everything.
Stephen Soundheim changed the way musicals were received, I ALWAYS thoughts musicals as a young age were – flowery, not for guys at all, too MUSHY, too, “Soap operay”- and then I took over the Aloha yearbook at Seaford High School and moved to Mexico and began Repentino. with a bunch of the most talented students ever, there it began with Camila de la Parra, at Seaford High, it was all due to a legend of a principal, Clarence Davis. However, my transfer of what I thought I knew about musicals, changed to what I felt inside after seeing my first that I can remember, The Christmas Show at Radio City and then onto Warhorse. I walked out dazed and surprised at what I thought I knew.
Had I not done any of the above, or met any of the above, I would be stuck in the same thought of what I thought I knew musicals to be, and yet, NANOWRIMO,POETRY OUT LOUD, and SO MUCH AROUND US provides a chance for individuals of all ages to take what they thought they knew, or what they think they know, and have it all mysteriously change right in front of them.
Stephen Soundheim is certainly responsible for changing the perceptions of hundreds upon thousands of people’s views, but so can coaches, athletes, school and public librarians, educators, parents, and more. He is a lesson in what the perceptions are versus what the reality can be.
Powerful, POWERFUL experiences that can change lives. That perhaps is the best lesson and gift one can receive at Christmas, having that chance to see through a different part of a life lens, isn’t it?
Looking back on a day of Thanksgiving yesterday, and yesterday being the 7th day of thanks for stories tied to XC and items to be thankful for as part of the Woodbridge High XC team – the 7th day of thanks in our series goes back to simply being thankful for the abilities we have – and honoring the achievements that many do not and still power through the obstacles laid before them. Definitely a lesson in there for each of us.
While at Brindywine’s 2021 XC State Championship, you may or many not have recognized the blind runner led by someone on a taut rope so he could stay on the path. Amazing. “The Creek” in itself is a tough enough course, and watching this runner, robbed of sight and yet conquering such a demanding XC course defined XC in a single pass quite easily. What is so difficult in a season of XC is what happens outside of the season, and sometimes yes, during. Being thankful for everything surrounding ourselves and setting aside our difficulties to be a better version of ourselves. I struggle with this daily and realize constantly what an imperfect person I am on an hourly basis, and the decisive factor is what will we do about this – and those that act on wanting to be a better person – usually makes all the difference. When you see athletes that do not have the ability of sight so dedicated, and committed, the lesson of what each of us are capable of rings home even more.
I wish I knew /remembered the team that this young man represented to express how admirable his run was on a day filled with wet, cold, and a path most challenging to those without any sight challenges, and yet, I am sure he has no regrets based on the stellar performance he was giving that day.
Everyone on the Woodbridge High XC teams wishes you the best Thanksgiving week and is thankful for all your support, encouragement, and kudos during the meets and practice as we continue to grow together!
Day 6 celebration of what to be thankful for tied to XC? Another lesson in how XC reinforces the fact that life – is meant to show you should never give up. Being first is one small aspect of XC, a goal, but not everything there is to XC. Woodbridge High XC hopes to show that everytime our athletes step on the course.
The story of Noah, showing how individuals can be taught up in the negative, and turn it into a positive.
Excuses versus putting the time in and making a change.
PAVEing a Blog 