"I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think." -Socrates
"Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself." - Chinese Proverb
In taking nearly thirty students across the world to Washington, D.C. and New York City in hopes of cultivating the globally-minded citizen in them, the advisors recognized that our actions alone were not necessarily responsible for their higher learning nor were our words enough to inspire them to engage in all that we saw. Rather, the advisors were merely the vehicle, the catalysts if you will, that connected them to these opportunities. It was these students, once in the new, unfamiliar environment, that took it upon themselves to not shy away from the huge buildings, fast cars, foreign cities, and mobs of people, but embrace and engaged with their surroundings. The students did not waste one opportunity to take full advantage of the experiences around them. Whether it was approaching strangers with gifts of Aloha and a smile or clearing the misunderstandings by students in other travel groups from the mainland that they didn't paddle canoes to school (quite an amusing conversation, I must say) or representing the island state with pride and respect, the students did not wait for these experiences to come to them--they went out and got them on their own!
We can't begin to say how proud we are of Jayde, Arlene, Anjelika, Bryson, Tiffany-Joy, Brenda, Kawehi, Breanne, Carlo, Kaleialoha, Thomas, Ellis, Nicole, Lees Marie, Quignon, Tiffany McCoy, the twins Dillon and Triston, Peter aka Pedro, Jun Dennis, Shaina, Alex, Eliza, Lindlelyn, Princess, and Raven. These 27 students were ambassadors not only from Ilima Intermediate, but Hawaii and radiated joy, excitement, eagerness, sense of adventure, and civic awareness to all who met them. For the entire year, these kids busted their butts to raise money for this trip, knowing that every service project, every fundraiser, and every volunteer opportunity was another step closer to making this dream a reality. Each one of them is an amazing individual in their own right and we cannot wait to see the great things they will embark on as they get older.
For me, it was, hands-down, my favorite experience in my short yet eventful teaching career--it was my swan song, the last hurrah. I'm disheartened to know that this is the last time I will be able to engage with this students, or any other students, in this way again. Though 4th quarter awaits us, I feel a sense of longing to return back to the first day of the trip, when parents were dropping kids off at the airport, and everyone was burning with anticipation and excitement. I feel extremely fortunate that I was able to be a part of such a fantastic opportunity for our students. Even with Furlough Fridays, teachers in Hawaii are able to provide meaningful experiences for their students outside the classroom that keeps them inspired and self-motivated to be seekers of knowledge and guardians of their education. The excellent teachers who guided these students on the trip, Cherilyn Inouye, Tracy Palmgren, Jenna Skedeleski, and Tanya Weida, can all attest to this truth. In these times, it is so important to be politically and civic-minded. Students need to understand the government is not some obscure, hard-to-access institution but rather an institution that is empowered only by the people. By deepening their understanding of the underlying workings of our federal government and meeting elected representatives of Hawaii, like Rep. Mazie Hirono, students now understand that there are actual people behind the newspaper headlines, media blasts, and electoral ballots. Furthermore, President Obama provided the ultimate inspirational learning moment that despite your background, even an African-American from Hawaii can be elected President of the United States of America. If that can happen, the possibilities for our students are limitless.
In the days to come, I hope these kids reflect on this trip and understand that they were really a part of something special, something atypical, out of the ordinary, which makes them special and out of the ordinary too. I hope they recognize that they are full capable of pursuing any dream or passion they desire and all they need to do is to stand bold, dream BIG, take a chance and pursue their endeavors.
| "I shall be telling this with a sigh | |
| Somewhere ages and ages hence: | |
| Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— | |
| I took the one less traveled by, | |
| And that has made all the difference" |
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