Mount Hood Climb Service Day

     Yesterday I had the honor of joining our class in a day of service.  We began at the Bell Tower surrounded by our entire school community.  This was my first opportunity to see the entire school together.  I was struck by so many different emotions- the sadness of the remembrance, the beauty of the bell ceremony,  the comfort, the calm and the respect which I observed throughout all of the students, parents and staff.   This brief memorial was an experience which I will remember, cherish and share with my own friends and family.
      Meredith and I, in our efforts to make this day as meaningful as possible for these youngest learners, decided that we should focus our attention on some of the spaces which they hold dear- naturally we immediately thought of the woods and the wetlands as those are often areas of play and exploration.  We were pleasantly surprised to find that our woods are exceptionally clean, so after a short period of looking we moved to the field.  The children quickly noticed the difference, but also recognized why one space would be more likely to gather trash than the other.  The woods are a place for play, for exploration, for imagination.  The field is a place of community gathering, excitement and celebration.   One naturally lends itself to having more trash present.  Both pre-k classrooms showed amazing endurance and true excitement and pleasure at the difference they were able to make for our school.
     After a short break, and a wonderful book, we wondered over to our wetlands.  Our book, Miss     Rumphius, told of a woman who was challenged to travel, to live by the sea, and to make the world a more beautiful place.  We, in our continued focus on service, worked to make our space in the world a more beautiful place by spreading wildflower seeds.  Hopefully we will see new plants growing for years to come.
     I am truly amazed by the incredible experience which yesterday provided for me as well as the kids.  They deeply understand the importance of taking care of each other, of taking care of our community and of taking care of our spaces in the world.  As always, I learn so much from all of my experiences here and feel so blessed to continue to learn and to grow alongside these amazing youngsters.


















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