As I lay here on Sunday morning in my bed coughing up mucus with tired eyes sipping my tea I can only try and arrange the numerous thoughts I have floating through my head...
So here it goes...
Yesterday was our Saturday service day at Hart Middle School (the school I spend far too much time in each and every day). On that note, I figure that may be the reason I am sick...due to the fact that I spend about 99% of my life indoors now (which I totally hate and have resorted to taking vitamin D as a supplement because let's get real...I don't see the sun on the way too or from work unless it is rising in the morning and therefore too cold outside to wear anything where any fraction of my skin would be showing to actually make vitamin D)...or maybe it's because City Year owns me and I cannot get enough sleep because it would be physically impossible to get 8 hours a night even if I went to bed the second I got home...or maybe I have allergies and this cold weather is a shock to my body. Whatever it is...it's super ANNOYING because I am taking the best care of my body for my limitations.
Besides the fact of being sick...it did not at all effect my day yesterday because I was on cloud 9. So as I spent my Saturday morning walking to the train at 7 am (when the night before didn't get home til 10 because we prepped the school until 9)...I had a burst of excitement and nervousness as to how the day would run and if the 120 people we planned to show up would actually show. So as I am running around the school in the heat putting on more layers as I step outside and taking them off the second I am inside...the site is almost ready. Volunteers start arriving and I am now told that I am not a paint station manager and am able to work outside on building benches....YES I get to spend a day in fresh air (even though it's freezing it'll be worth it). Soon enough I run into two of my favorite students who showed up early to serve and do PT during opening ceremony. Right at that moment I was overjoyed and taking them around to meet all my friends and run through a quick practice. At that instant I knew that if the rest of the day failed I would still find it to be a success. At that point we had barely any volunteers and we were getting worried about the number of projects we planned for...soon enough our numbers rose as people rolled in late. Smiles set in...
It didn't stop there....I had the pleasure of working with a British family....who I soon came to call the POWER family as we built bench after bench. The young 6th grade daughter was adorable and hammering nails like she'd done it all her life. She is going to be a Young Hero (a City Year program for middle school students on Saturdays). She was so adorable and a really hard worker. Once I left to grab my hat to keep warm and she asked around to people if I was coming back. I could not keep up with this family and find them enough work! They didn't even want to eat lunch and decided to stain the benches instead and head out early.
Even though I woke up at 4 am coughing...my adrenaline was kicking so fast I didn't feel a bit of tiredness...from there I was carrying pieces of wood from the front of the school to the back and then back up front. Then I was staining alone for a little, which was nice and relaxing. I kept thinking in my head how great the day was going and all of a sudden a teammate goes "Sam look who's here..." I turn around and to my surprise one of my students who I hadn't seen in quite sometime due to suspension was here on her bike. I ran up and hugged her. I've been worried about her and missing her greatly. She then went to the back courtyard and painted with me...I even got her to take a picture with me :) When she looked around at all the spray paint murals and saw us painting lines for football games...she said "Man, I can't wait to come back to Hart now"...invisible tears of joy welled up in my eyes.
The day kept getting better and better! Projects were finishing up fairly smoothly. At our regrouping circle we shared joys for the Civic Engagement Team (who did all the planning) and they appreciated our team as well. Then we shared joys about how our students showed up and how happy we were with how things were turning out. I was in the middle of the big group break and called the word "HART"...something I haven't experienced before and found to be very cool! We ended our day at 6 in the dark in front of the school. I was so happy with how many City Year Corps Members came and didn't have to (many even stayed late). I had so much pride in my school. While there is more touch ups to happen this week to finalize everything...I am so excited to see the rest of the school's faces when the look all that was done. I hadn't experienced Civic Engagement this powerfully before...but it really hit home and I have a whole new respect for it.
Alright I'm off to rest up and see what needs to happen before another week of work. Pictures will come soon!
xoxo
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