Attention College Guys!

Ok so I'll explain. Last nite Bridget and I took our middle schoolers on a field trip to Saint Mary's College for Trick-or-Treating and a Halloween Party. It was hilarious. The entire trip totally reminded me of the change middle school girls go through. No longer do boys have coodies, especially not college guys. So many of the girls who I was with were really shy when trick-or-treating through the guys dorms. But not Diaja. No fear. Every guy she met, she greeted very enthusiastically, "Hi College Guy(s)!" or "What up College Guy(s)!" Everyone was laughing, including me and the guides. But the funniest part was when her friend reminded her that she had no chance with these guys because "they are like 8 years older than you." Diaja was like, "So, I can still say hi!" Oh girls.

Also, it was really amazing to see that some of the kids had never left Oakland before. We picked up some kids from the Elizabeth House, a battered women's shelter, and one of the middle schoolers who came, had never been outside of Oakland. On the bus ride up there, she was looking at the hills asking one of the volunteers how they built those houses on the hill. Then she was like, "How do they get their food up there?!" The idea of a winding road up the hill was completely foreign. Just amazing. Well take care! Hope everyone has a Happy Happy Halloween!

Kelly

why not?

Jennifer (far L) with the entire staff at the Recreation Center at Highbridge Community Life Center. I forget all of their names, the ones I know are Nanny(middle...Director of Center); Kim (far right, Dominican Volunteer); Monique (back wearing Red from the Youth Center); and Iran (front and center, Associate Director of the Center)



The Center is a good size, but not a lot of meeting space. They have a computer room and a large lobby where students do homework. The actual gym is a good size. The girl that Jennifer is working with is a serious student. She does not leave unless her homework is complete!

Highbridge Community Life Center, Bronx, NY (LV Visit)

Highbridge Community Life Center has a new Recreation center on the other side of "Highbridge," the neighborhood where the Center focuses all of their efforts. The main Center is at the far end of Highbridge (near Yankees Stadium) and the Recreation Center is on the other end of the neighborhood. The Recreation Center is brand new, so Jennifer and the staff are trying to stir up business. Jennifer helps organize the afterschool program. Kids come to work on homework and take part in planned activities. There is a long waiting list because they have limited space. They are hoping to open up more space soon. Jennifer also organizes programs for Seniors during the day. Jennifer started a new "Walking Club" where Seniors can track their steps using a pedometer. The challenge of the Center is how to advertise and how to create new programs that the people need. As I was leaving, Jennifer was organizing a Highbridge Halloween Party...hope you have a good turn-out.

Resurrection School, Harlem, NY (LV Visit)

On the left are students that showed up for the After School ttoring. At his point of the day, a lot of "Why" and "So" questions were flying around. Julia did a great job with fielding all the questions.

Left: Julia with Br. Vincent, school counselor.

Resurrection, Harlem, NY (LV Visit)

Julia is the jack of all trades at Resurrection. She coordinates all the efforts in the Library, including testing and accelerated Reader. She also began an after school program for students who want the extra quiet and time to do their homework. Also, teachers do send their classes into the Library periodically. Usually, Julia reads a story to them (of course with tons of questions) and then allows them to choose a book of their liking. Of course, this is always the most interesting time in the Library! I am convinced that Julia has eyes in the back of her head.

Julia's Library is right across from Chistine's 2nd grade classroom.

Resurrection School Visit - Harlem, NY

It happened to be "Picture Day" during my visit. No rabbit ears on this one!

Christine's students were so funny as the photographer was trying to organize them...I almost has to leave the room in laughter! They are not only cute, but hilarious. The best part of the day was when the students began to sing their "group" yes and no's and other responses. They would not stop...they were in a singing mood. By the way, we are going to have a "Children's Song Sign-Off" between Christine and Jonathan at Midyear. I just can't decide which one has better songs...Christine's Moose Song is wonderful..do you know that one Jonathan?

All lined up and ready to go home...not much patience left at this point in the day!
Relaxing during Language Arts Class.
As you can see, a lot of student involvement.
It was an interesting beginning during Computer Class. It was if all 10 of them needed everything for the 1st minute of class. Let's just say that they were anxious to learn!

Hello? Anybody out there?

Ok I know you all are looking at the blog thinking, 'Why isn't anyone posting? I know there has to be interesting things going on!' Well I was. I hope everyone one is doing well. Its raining today, and I LOVE IT! Also if anyone wants to say a really cool dinner prayer in their community I suggest singing 'Bless us O' Lord' to the theme song of Gilligan's Island. It rocks. I Did it last nite at dinner. At mid-year if anyone wants me to teach it to them I'd be glad to! Well I hope that brightened everyone's day! Take care and God Bless!

Callin' you out!

This week, a new science teacher started in my grade level. Well, on day three, the students were doing what students do to all new teachers, testing her.

She was appeared to be getting slightly frustrated with them and she said, "Listen, I've been to high school and graduated, I've been to college and graduated, I am qualified to teach this class."

One student, Dominica, ever so politely raised her hand.

Teacher: "Yes Dominica?"
Dominica: (as flatly and calmly as you could imagine) Well, just because you graduated from a high school and a college DOES NOT mean you are qualified to teach us."

I was horrified. It took all I had not to get up and take this girl out of the room. The new teacher stood there for a moment, took a deep breath, and said, "You know what Dominica, you're right! What you don't know, is that science was my major, I am pre-med, and this is the area that is my specialty. So I'm going to need you to trust me on this, I'm qualified."

Damn. She handled that well. That's all I could think. Dominica had nothing else to say for the entire remainder of class.

eeeevil

You know it's flattering, don't you love when kids pretend to hate you in front of their friends? It's just so cute! The other day Ryan, a sweet, loveable, and talkative freshmen who is in my tutoring center every single day (and sometimes finds the need to imitate a dance club while other students are working) was talking to his friend at their lockers after school was dismissed. I overhear him say, "She's evil! Just evil!" Since I of course know he's talking about me I called his name and he turns around. I smile and say, "Ryan who's evil so I can make sure I avoid her?" He looks at me and says "You can't avoid her... She's you!!"

Hahaha. (allegedly evil laugh)

Bloggariffic

Hey everyone,

Does anyone know of any LV's that for sure aren't onto the blog? Please let me know, I'll need their e-mail addresses too...

-Thanks,
Many smiles,
Jolleen

Does anything I say matter?

Ok so lately I've been having a problem with the kids not listening to me. Ahhh its so frustrating. I warn them if they continue to talk they will have to leave my room. So they continue and then I kick them out. Today, I had a girl talk the entire night. Finally I said you need to pack up your things and leave the room. What did she do?! Her and her friend sat and argued with me that I was singling them out and other kids in the room were talking too! I reminded them that they are not to argue with me and I will deal with the others accordingly. Did she move to the other room? NO! I know I'm not supposed to give in, but it was like 20 more minutes and LEO closed. I figured it would be best to not fight it tonite and tomorrow when she comes into study in my room, tell her that she will not be allowed to for the rest of the week. Its so frustrating that I can't even help a student for 5 minutes before some of the kids begin talking. They don't goof off for the brothers, but they do for me. Just so frustrating.

"Food Glorious Food, Wonderful Food..."

here some of our 5th graders who were rewarded with a hike in Purgatory Chasm in Massachusetts after behaving well one week...aren't they cute now? can you imagine them as the little ruffians in Oliver, the musical? if anyone wants to come to providence, our 5th and 6th graders are the chorus of said ruffians in LaSalle Academy's production of Oliver. What a joy to see Hmong, Dominican, Puerto Rican, African American, Guatamalan, etc., boys pretending they are little British young'uns and singing "Food, Glorious Food!" and what not. Only at a Miguel School...

is that a machete in your pants, or...

No, that's not a cheesy pick-up line!! Perverts!

Well, I'll try my best, but when I tell this story out loud I crack up laughing - not because it's funny, but because it's so bizaaaaaare:

Regular Sunday night at the Catholic Worker: doors open at 4, guests arrive, dinner starts at 6. People are in motion, guests chill on the porch. I had scored an evening off and was attempting to nap upstairs in my room. Eventually, I couldn't continue with my nap because there was all sorts of loud screaming and arguing downstairs... so I mosy on down to see what's happening and learn that there's a man with a big german shepherd who has come up onto the porch. Apparently, in a neighborhood not too far from here, a few weeks ago this very dog bit one of the women who visits our house, and she was petrified of this big mean dog. Well the argument is ugly, and eventually Bro. Louis had the guy go to the back of the house, where he had chained his dog and was waiting for a plate of food (or something to this effect). By the time I got to the porch, he had made his way back to the front, and had attached this HUGE chain to his dog and was coming too close to the porch again, thus re-igniting the fight. Several of our "tougher" guests were trying to act as hard as they could and make sure the guy knew who was in control.

He takes the dog to his car, which was parked in a lot across the street, and another guy who was with him went over to meet him at the car. They open the trunk, and lo and behold, while they're screaming across the street and fighting with the people on the porch, the one guy pulls a MACHETE out of the trunk and starts waving it around while screaming at the people in the front of the house. They put it back in its sheath (Derek has started calling the police at this point...did they hurry? Of course not.) and the second guy tucks it into his pants and begins walking back across the street, where I meet him before he gets onto our property. I calmly "explained" to him that clearly he wouldn't be allowed to come in for supper (he was trying to tell me all he wanted was something to eat) because I saw him place the machete in his pants... The first guy, knife in pocket and something else tucked into his pants too, also tried to come back across the street to "eat supper" and couldn't believe we wouldn't let him back in to eat, calling us hypocrites for claiming to do "God's work". (I'm pretty sure we have a no-machete policy here!)

Long story short, they left, the police came a bit afterwards, and the rest is history...

Things I have since learned about the back-asswards state of Missouri:
- Concealed weapons are completely LEGAL.
- Corporal punishment (hitting children) is still pretty legal and a practice in many parts of rural MO.
- Police here don't really consider sticking a machete in your pants and approaching a crowd of people after waving it at them during an argument a "threat". Apparently you have to be within 21 feet of the person before it can be considered so. (What I want to know is, who established this 21-foot rule, and HOW?)

SHUT UP!

That's what I said to a Freshmen today. But let me explain: I know that I shouldn't have, and I was wrong! As soon as it came out of my mouth, I wished that I could have taking it back. But hear my story before you'll yell at me.

Thursday afternoon as I was doing the usual, taking steps for the Aerobic class, a freshmen started calling me Homes! and Ese! At first I didn't care but it got out of hand, and everytime he saw me he would say Homes or Ese! to me at least 20 times within a minute. It was annoying. So I asked him to stop calling me that, That my name was Jorge or Mr. Arana. It was like I was talking to the wall, and the more I asked him to stop the more he did, and he would say "what are you going to do about?" which it only pissed me off even more. So today, I'm in charged or the child care room and a TV has to be there everynite for the kids. Unfortunately for me, he was using it to play X-box, so I told them nicely that I had to take it because we use it everynite. It was a "Bombshell", and to make things worse the tutors were encouraging, but I had no choice. I not going to stop doing my job so a few High school can play X-Box. I was trying to take the tv while a room full of High School and a tutor were trying to stop me. I loss control and I said to the kid that calls me Homes or Ese "Shut UP! Not only did I get lecture by the tutors but I became the asshole who don't let other have fun.

Walking...

Well, I guess I'm not sure who is more crazy- Clare, for thinking how fun it would be to walk from tip to tip of Manhattan and doing it or me, saying "yeah, sure I'll come with you guys" when she called me on Sunday...

So, I met up with the rather excited group at 125th street in Harlem. I don't think it was until about 72nd street when I really realized how crazy we were. In Manhattan, 20 blocks is basically a mile so that was about mile 3, I still had 5 more to walk! We made it to the tip and it was good, but I don't think I actually felt relieved until we got to the subway and could SIT DOWN!

Anyway, it was a good way to spend a fall Sunday. But I think from now on I'll screen my calls coming from Clare... no offense =0)

manhattan 2.

Naked cowboy in Times Square, the end of the walk in Battery Park (any farther and we'd be swimming), and the three girls exhuasted after a 14 mile, 31, 500 step walk.

manhattan.

Photos: Br. Joe, Jennifer, Clare, Br. Bill, and Elisa in the Bronx before crossing into Manhattan, The George Washington Bridge along the Hudson River, the Time Warner Building at Columbus Circle, A random cow on top of a building, and the promised Memphis belt buckle

all of manhattan

As many of you remember, I once referred to Bedford Park as the community on speed. Today we took it to a new level. As a community we walked all of Manhattan. The island is 13.4 miles long. We started in the Bronx, walked over Broadway Bridge, and walked all the way down to Battery Park and touched the rail by the water. Not every member walked the entire length, but all participated. Pictures coming soon. And Christine walked with us from Harlem down. I don't think I could put it as well as Br. Ed: "whooooohooooooo!"

Pictures coming soon. Who would believe you could find a rhinestone studded belt buckle saying "Memphis" in Harlem. We have proof!

Vicki

Happy Birthday Vicki Kline!

From: Anwar

Pictures that I promised long ago....San Miguel Comer Kids

Here's to the good ones

You know it's a good day when it starts with a student, who you previously thought hated you, smiling and saying "Hello Ms. Lady! Is that ok if I call you Ms. Lady?" and then you go on to have a nice conversation with that student. Then afterwards another student you know is not too fond of you actually seeks you out for help. What's going on? It must be the weather. These are two kids I see everyday out of uniform and tell them everyday to tuck in their shirts or take off their do-rags. They never seem to be happy when that happens. Yet somehow, today they were eager to talk to me. Anybody else having a good day?

So how bout them Angels?

Hahahaha! The Angels beat the Yankees! They won! They won! They won! Say what you will, the fact remains that they WON! Hahaha!

Where is everybody?

Hey ya'll, since we;ve gone "post-less" for about 4 days, I thought I'd see if I can't get a little something started, here's a question for you:

What would be the first thing out of your mouth if you returned to your community one evening to find that one of your housemates "acquired" a pet raccoon and set up it's new home in the corner of the living room?

blame the terrorists

Last weekend, I continued a family tradition and traveled to DC to do the Army ten miler with my dad and my brother. The race is the largest ten mile run in the country - 20,000 people. Well, yesterday it was also the longest ten mile race in the country as well.

The race begins at the Pentagon in Virginia, heads over to DC where runners run about 8 miles, and goes back over the 14st St. bridge to the Pentagon to finish.

The DC police got a report of a suspicious package underneath the 14th st. bridge minutes after the race had started. So they made a last minute decision to divert the race - and make it an extra mile without telling any of us. There was no official time, no information, and for about 10 minutes everybody kept shouting at me, "one more mile left" and I was left to wonder how long this "one last mile would last". So I ran an extra mile because of a terrorist threat. But it's all in the name of national security, right?