Giving Thanks

At Central Park East Middle School, City Year thinks of exciting morning greetings to try to raise student attendance. Every week we pick a day to power greet (basically cheers), do other fun activities like limbo, basketball, and raffles for breakfast with City Year.

Today, it was my turn to be "point person" for the morning greeting. Deciding on a little early celebration of Thanksgiving, a cardboard cut out of a turkey was made and a bunch of colored feathers. On each feather, a student could write what they were thankful for. I wasn't sure what to expect from these 10-13 year olds who are usually pretty immature, but what they wrote in their shaky and often misspelled hand-writing shocked me. Most middle schoolers would be thankful for their playstation or their toys with a few additions of thankfulness for friends and family. On these colored feathers I saw many "I'm thankful to be alive" "I'm thankful to live another day" "I'm thankful for my teacher for helping me with my troubles" "I am thankful for my family" "I am thankful for food." I stood there taping up feathers on the turkey and realized again that I was surrounded by children who despite being little mischief makers during the day are actually kids who, deep inside, really care about life and the people around them.

These kids shock me in some way every day--good and bad. Yesterday morning, a 6th grader who I've closely worked with and struggled with (he is one of the "trouble-makers" in every class) since the end of September came up to me and said "Hi Stella!" and gave me a big hug. I stood there in awe and remembered to say "Good morning, Kashawn."

Two of the feathers said "I am thankful for City Year." But, I am thankful for them. Every day these kids make me see a new side of life. I am also thankful that I have had the opportunities I have had--that I have lived 22 years of my life in order to teach them, to support them and give them something (whatever it may be) that they might have never had.