NOLA! NOLA! NOLA! How we love you so!
This is my second year working with this wonderful endeavor. I was excited when I received the email from Karen to be a part of this experience once again. As we boarded the plane leaving Chicago group 2 were all excited to roll up our sleeves and get to work.
Upon arrival we did our tradition of eating lunch at The Gumbo Shop while Karen filled us in on what was to be expected of us once we started our work day at Harriet Tubman School. We couldn't wait to get started. This year we all were fortunate enough to take part in the hurricane Katrina exhibit which opened this year. Karen had informed us over lunch that the exhibit was must see. As we walked throughout each area our mouths dropped, eyes filled with tears, hearts sank and then rejoiced as we further uncovered and understood what Katrina really did not only to the city but to the people who inhabited it. The key word for New Orleans and it's people..RESILIENCE! Viewing this as the start of our trip is definitely a way to open or eyes and solidify the true meaning of why we're here.
As we started our first day we entered a world unknown at Harriet Tubman and a room filled with books piled high to the ceiling and wall to wall. Our group was determined to tackle this mountain head on. With each box of books we cracked opened and leveled we all marveled and reminisced about our own childhood and how much the students would enjoy reading these books just as much as we did. Half of our group began painting classrooms and transforming them into welcoming rooms for the anticipating teachers and students. By the end of our first day we were exhausted but accomplished.
As the heat and sun greeted us on day 2 our team was ready to hit our little dungeon and sort books. Our mountain had now turned into a valley of books and we were making wonderful progress. Teams were hard at work and making progress all over the school. Several teachers marveled at the progress our team had made just on day 2 and one of them Mr. Briggs dubbed our group "Chicago's Finest" and that was us!
As Chicago's Finest arrived on day 3 we finally began to see our progress and the floor of our book room. Organized books were all over the place under their respective letter level and finally our beloved and needed dots had arrived! Yay! Hallways had been painted, classrooms filled with desks and our books stacks were down to low double digits. Team 2 rocks!
As our team massages sore muscles, aching backs, swollen feet and washes away paint the smiles still radiate from our faces. Our hard work, dedication, commitment and selfless acts are truly making a difference and this school is coming alive. I am amazed how our little family is once again transforming each school we visit.
Shantell
2nd Year Alumni
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