Secret to Successful Literacy Labs - Hiring Well! That, and Being Sure Special Guests Are Relevant to Our Writing Purposes.

 It continues to amaze me that two of my graduate students in EN 411: Teaching of Writing in 3rd-12th Grade Classrooms have stuck by my side, gained rewarding employment in Bridgeport Public Schools, and continue to invest so much in the Connecticut Writing Project and our Young Adult Literacy Labs. Jessica was still a graduate student when I first approached her about a summer internship to kick-off Ubuntu Academy (a program she and Will have taken to the moon and back). I love entering Donnarumma Hall every morning to see their two mugs greeting those entering the building (and have National Writing Project photographer, Jason Miczek, to thank for that).

Jessica is working with Mindy Khamvongsa (another graduate from our undergraduate program and a student of yesteryear from my Philosophy of Education course) and Stefania Vendrella (my service learning associate and elementary education extraordinaire) to collaborate instruction.

Will is working with Justin Wooley, a 5-year student in English Education, who also took my philosophy course (he's also the oldest son of dear friends of mine, Dave and Kris - a fusion of all the represent as a philosopher and English educator).

Yesterday, I invited basketball player Aidas Kavaliauskas to be a guest speaker. He is going into his senior year and, recovering from hip surgery, was gracious to come talk with our Sports Writing crew. What I loved about having him speak is a recognition of maturity in his leadership and his willingness to share the importance of journaling about his experiences working with Hoops4Hope in Zimbabwe Africa. He told the boys, "I'm so glad I kept a nightly journal of what I was experiencing because a year from that time, today, I can go back and remember new details about what I left out. The writing triggers my memories," Interesting, too, because today is Taylor Sharp's birthday, a producer of Ubuntu Matters: Hoops Africa, who came to Fairfield last fall for a screening and conversation in which Aidas and Will participated.

Today is my beautiful niece Nikki's birthday as well (seems to be a day for greatness to be born). Crazy to think that she's in her 20s and career and not central to every move my sister and brother-in-law make in their lives. Everyone grows up so quickly, making the investment into young people that much more relevant. Every kid is a product of many who invest into them.

Happy Hump Day, June (the last one for this month of 2019). July is almost here and the humidity is creeping its way into everything we do. I'm heading into the office to continue doing the back-channel work with what it takes to bring 40 teachers to campus each summer and 100s of young people. I look at the work from the first week and have to say, "Sh'Zaam. These people and kids rock,"

That's what it is all about.