Braved the Backed-Up Traffic of I-95 on Thursday to Tour Kendall College & Career Academy in Norwalk, a K-5 School Making a Tremendous Difference

There was something that happened to cause a parking lot on I-95, and I was stuck on the high for 2 hours, but I made it to my office and eventually to Kendall College & Career Academy where I met the 1st graders we mentored from EDUC 2201 - Explorations in Education (and their wonderful teachers) and was able to tour the older grade classrooms. A highlight was being shown how one copy of POW! Power of Words inspired student writers to compose their own writing, which was showcased in window displays throughout the school. All a teacher needed to do was use the 3-12th grade writing from POW! with their kids, and suddenly, WOLA! the young writers were inspired to compose, too. 

That fueled my soul.

And I also received a video from graduate, Stefania Vendrella, of a writing celebration she hosted at her school that resulted from the years she worked with Little Lab for Big Imaginations. She and her students turned their space into a writing emporium, and the parents were invited to an event in celebration of their writing success. Words everywhere, and genres galore. The happiness was obvious.

Yesterday was Dave Wooley's 52nd birthday, and what an honor to celebrate with their family: good food, good company, good stories, and great friendship. I'm thankful to have him, Kris, and the kids in my world. They are spectacular.

This morning, I need to finish recommendations, grade, fill out dispositional forms for new Educational minors, and then attend an afternoon faculty meeting.

I am waking up, however, knowing that the investment of summer programs that CWP does really makes a difference in transforming schools.

That's what it is all about. 

And the sun is shining...that makes all the difference in the world.