Junkyard Genius

In 1998-1999 I had the opportunity to teach high school English at a small charter school on the Navaho Reservation. Despite the challenges I faced that year, the experience proved to be one of the most rewarding I have ever undertaken.

The majority of the students I taught faced a number of obstacles in their lives, including absentee parents, alcohol and drug abuse, poverty, and domestic violence. Despite this fact, they continued to believe that education was capable of improving their lives. At times, it was difficult to believe this was the case.

I recently heard from a friend who shared the following story. It involves a student who attends a neighboring school and who has received local and national recognition for a project he undertook to help his mother heat her home. The local NBC affiliate in Phoenix aired the story, which is an inspirational one. If nothing else, it serves as a testament to the strength of the human spirit, and the power of the imagination.

Friday Night Blog

Another week has passed, which means I'm a week closer to the end of the Spring Quarter. I don't want to wish my life away, but I'm ready for the break. The arrival of Spring hasn't made things any easier. I never thought I would enjoy living in Ohio, but I actually do. The leaves have come out, the flowers are in full bloom, and the weather has been fantastic. Every ounce of me wants to be sittinng outside watching a baseball game, but I just don't have the time to do so. The fact that the Red Sox will be playing in Cleveland for three days next week doesn't make things any easier. I've been trying to tell myself that this comes with being a graduate student, but saying it doesn't necessarily make it easier to accept.

First Blog of Spring

Spring has returned to the Midwest! The weather has been fanastic as of late, though finding the time to enjoy it has proven somewhat difficult given my hectic schedule . Nevertheless, I have managed to do some of my reading outdoors, which is a small victory.

Perhaps even better than the return of the nice weather has been the start of the baseball season. The Red Sox are off to a good start, though they're struggling with the Devil Rays this evening. They'll be playing in Cleveland next week, but I'm not sure my course schedule will allow me to attend the game.