It's a Wednesday and I Am Channeling the Superpower It Will Take To Make It 3 More Days. #SuperpowerOfHope

This is a secret and this is Kevin. He's my math/artist teacher who is pre-service and astute- hired to run artistic aspects of our summer work (and his Spanish-speaking talents are also useful).

#TheSuperpowerOfHope

Truth is, the secret is a collaborative art project between teachers and students in Project Citizen, but they won't know this until Thursday (and today is a Hump Day). We've been using Matt de la Peña's Superman: Dawnbreaker in all of our programs and now it is time for teachers (and kids) to react.

That product is hush-hush, shhhhhh.

It will come, though.

So, we are mid-week, last week, and we are now at 200 youth and 40 teachers (those hired and those working for us). I feel like time is my kryptonite and I am unsure I can accomplish all I hope to (really, what I'm thinking about is if Chitunga make it to Orlando okay - he's on a business/intern trip).

Ah, but we can channel our heroes, our amazing humans, those who have incredible powers (my mom was always partial to the Incredible Hulk because she harvest such rage).

Me? I'm thinking that the only Superpower I have is hope and that I will make it to this Friday unscarred and optimistic of all still to come.

Phew. It's been a July.

Well, Julie, Another Year We Can Say, "Well, It's the Last Week. Phew, Where Did The Time Go?"

In 2012, I read an Op-Ed by New York City Writing Project teacher Julie Roneson and I called her and asked, "Do you want to meet?"

She was teaching at Central High School in Bridgeport and I knew I needed an in-practice teacher to partner with for the first cohort I'd have on my own as a new director of a National Writing Project site. Her Proud to be a Bridgeport Teacher caught my attention and I basically said, "You're a fan of NWP. You're hired." She's also penned Teachers Need Support, Not Suspicion and In Connecticut, Let Us Teachers Tell our Stories.  She's a reader, a thinker, a devoted educator and a passionate writer. It's hard to believe this is our 7th year co-hosting an institute. We're proud to add Denise Howe this year, too, to bring an additional perspective and voice to the work we do. We feel honored that she was available and that she could bring the expertise that she has.

Today, we begin day one of our final 3 days after a semester of interviewing and recruiting and 6 weeks of the summer invitational. We have a full agenda ahead of teacher demonstrations and workshops, plus the final week of reflection and paperwork that is necessary to complete. This is our biggest cohort yet, as funding from Noble Trust allowed us to double the intake of teacher participation, especially those from high needs districts. As always, they are a beautiful cohort and we couldn't be happier. The pace, however, of how fast it all flies by is something else. It seems like I just met all of these stupendous individuals.

There's a big year ahead for Julie as she's working towards her PhD and finishing her own goals and passions (looking forward to hearing of her success). She's been a gentle calm to my manic wackiness and I'm very thankful that she's lasted with me throughout all these years.

Fortunate for Fairfield University, she's also stepped up and taught many courses for us, too, in the Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions.

I'm very much dreaming of all still to come, but for this morning I'm finger-snapping and applauding another year with Julie at my side, and feeling extremely thankful that Denise joined the team. There's a lot of us this summer, but the work is great.

With that, there's much to accomplish today!

I Went For The Walnut Beach Creamery Overdose So I Could Get It All Out of My System in One Summer Visit

I've been thinking about it all summer, but I've resisted. The timing wasn't right and the mood wasn't there. Ah, but when Pam's Netflix wasn't working and someone said Ice Cream, Abu even said, "Oh, I could skip volleyball for that."

I knew I was doomed. Worse was when he and I both decided to get waffle cones with 4 scoops (they wouldn't give us any less). I had Peanut Butter and The Sandman, and he had Peanut Butter and some chocolate concoction. We over ate and then held our tummies while realizing that each of us ate 1/2 a gallon of ice cream in one evening.

I am cured for a while (and it is so so good....hands down some of the best ice cream I've ever had anywhere ... except Denmark). It's that good.

I'm now thankful that I ran 6, walked 3, and played some frisbee. Without a doubt, I put every calorie and then some back into my system.

That's what summer is for, right?

Chitunga missed out, because he was at the golf course doing 18 holes. I guess it's a good thing that I bought peanut butter ice cream this morning at the grocery store. He can get his fix if he wants it.

Meanwhile, it is week #6, the final week of our summer programs. Holding my breath and ready to take it on.

Let's go. We got this.

With Hope They Work. Twin Blueberry Bushes on Mt. Pleasant and Wishes For Their Success.

Ever since my Indiana days (even KY), I've loved going to Bryant's Blueberries to score bushels of blueberries (which I used to use for pancakes and a blueberry crunch dish for ice cream). Phew. Many moons ago, too, I picked blueberries for weeks knowing I was making 100 or so jars of blueberry jam for my little sister's wedding (Spread the love with the Barnwells). I taught myself to preserve the jam and after making 60 or so, I said, "You need to bring me to Syracuse. I can't keep the pace in time for the wedding."

I'm trying to figure out where I got the energy for that...but it was an act of love.

This summer in Connecticut, I've been mowing my neighbor's lawn because she had surgery on her elbow and was under doctor's orders not to labor in her yard. I don't mind mowing another lawn (I am a son of a Butch), and she has awarded me with blueberries from her bushes.  Yesterday, too, however, I heard a knock on my door and there was Debbie with a card and two blueberry plants. "I want to thank you for your willingness to step up and help me this summer," she said. "These are for you."

Huge smile. Super joy. Then a panic. What if my yard isn't suited for blueberry plants.

Fingers crossed that they will take off and do well. It would be amazing to know that every year I will be able to go out to harvest my own berries (and perhaps make jam again).

It was a wonderful gift....absolutely unexpected and 100% appreciated. Bryan's Blueberries has a ring to it (just drop the t from Indiana).

We shall see. They're in the ground and I'm ready to go.

Mother Flicker! That Was a Friday. Returning To My Naturalist Roots In Prayer for Maude. Bless That Animal.

The crash came at 5 a.m.

I was sound to sleep with another hour to go when I heard the bang. I jumped out of bed and looked around the room but nothing had fallen. I though, 'Oh, Shit. Glamis fell through the bay window.'

I looked outside, but all I could see was a pile of something and several song sparrows investigating the scene from the sidewalk with their stink eye. The eyes are on the sparrow. They knew something was up, and I figured a bird hit the window during the a.m. morning feast. I hoped not, but I soon realized it was true. It was a Northern Flicker, a kind of woodpecker, and I instantly had remorse. I love my woodpeckers and they've been entertaining my front and back yards for years.

I didn't want it to be true, but it was. While Chitunga ate his buttered bagel and Abu took a shower, I went out front to investigate more. He was beautiful. She was beautiful. I'm guessing a male, but I couldn't make the identification. I only knew I wanted him or her to be buried before the flies came.

I found a shoe box and then proceeded to make a bed of leaves and grass for the creature (my window did this). I also picked flowers and laid them on top of the bird in the shoebox. It was so beautiful and still fresh from the death. When I zoomed in the photo, I notice how long the bird's tongue actually was. It must be how they pull insects from the trees and I thought, "Phew. Nature is beautiful. I also noticed the eyes were x'd out like a Warner Brothers cartoon.

I began Aretha Franklin's, "I'll say a little prayer for you." I then closed the box and said a few more prayers for the tiny critter. I walked to my Subaru, Hulk, and placed the box in the back by my computer and a container of M&Ms I bought for the teachers. I reentered my house and didn't say a thing; instead, I spent my morning in silence and mini-prayer.

"Bless that Animal," I said under my breath, recalling Kirsten's prayer every time we passed road kill in our adolescent and college lives. She always looked for animals on the side of the road and I loved this about her. She would always offer them a spirited chant as we passed.

We drove to work. I didn't say anything, because my mind was on the bird, the inevitability of it all, and the tragedy that happens out of the blue. This is one of God's creatures and it's a stunning, ornithologist dream. I know Downies and Piliated, but I've always been fond of the Northern Flickers. I wondered what he (maybe she, but I'm guessing he) was doing when hitting the glass....a moment of distraction...a chase of a particularly delicious bug, a run from a hawk in pursuit of its own tasty toast. I don't know. The bang woke me up and I wanted to lay it to rest.

The casket came to work with me. Dodging morning traffic I continued my look to the sky, wishing the feathered phenomenon well.

Abu left the car and walked ahead of me. I still didn't say a thing, but carried the box in my right arm as I holsted my computer bag on my right shoulder. Abu entered Donnarumma Ding Dong, and I proceeded to the right by the large garbage bins.

"Bless that animal," I said, leaving him in an empty green canister. "I'm sure this isn't the way you wanted to go, but it's the best I could do."

And that's the way the morning began.

Keeping It In the Family and, Well, Generationally, with CWP. I Am in Awe At How Interconnected the Work Is We Do

This is just to say that several years ago I had an incredible teacher come through the Writing Institute, Tom Ward, and he not only endured a summer with me, but also several courses. He was an awesome educator with a sense of humor, passion, direction, and a justice mission.

Fast forward almost 8 years. A marriage, a rearrangement, and new brothers following suit, I was honored to have Tom's step-mom write to see about enrolling her three incredible young men into the program. I simply said, "A brother to Tom Ward is a brother to me. Bring them to CWP and let us see what we can do."

Wola! College Essay and Project Citizen! Boom! These 3 young men are making a name for themselves just like their older brother. They are incredible, admirable and hardworking young men. I can't believe what they'r accomplishing, but even better, how modest they are. They have the literacy proficiency of their older brother. Each stands bashful, but one on one I'm hearing from their instructors that they are powerhouses.

I am loving the fact that my work at CWP is now crossing generations. I'm in awe of the parental support, focus, and devotion behind these three kids.

Only time will tell the story behind this photo, but I for one and fully in belief of the power of family,. The Wards...well, they're family and I love them for this. Ha! The family that writes together, stays together! That might be another motto worth considering. 

We All Have These Moments...These Traditions...These Rituals...That Fill Our Hearts and Give Us Hope

We are in the 6th year of CWP redesign, and one of our rituals has been a literacy lab for immigrant and refugee background youth. We started with 12, moved to 20, and now average 20 to 30 students a summer. All of the kids come from Bridgeport Public Schools and many are affiliated with the Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants. This year, our numbers are lower than they have been in the past but that is likely the result of lower numbers of such families allowed in the country. Even so, we still do our part - what we believe to be the mission of the United States of America.

In our tradition, we host a dialogue day between in-practice teachers and kids attending Ubuntu Academy so that the young people have opportunity to share their stories, to practice their English, to ask questions of teachers in non-threatening ways and to enjoy the beauty of Fairfield University's campus. This year, the teachers and the kids are reading Jerry Craft's graphic novel, New Kid, and we worked through dialogue questions today surrounding the themes of that book: race, newness, America, access to schools of privilege, bullying, feeling an outsider, and parents (ah, those parents). The teachers spread across the campus with the kids and I told them they had 30 minutes.

Wrong. I knew it would happen. They took 60 minutes before they returned. Then, as the teachers returned, they reported how amazing the experience was to listen to youth about their lives and travels to the United States.

We are all stories and those fortunate to share them with others are lucky, indeed.

I came home from a fantastic day at the University to pick up my car (we'll see), weekwhacked the lawn, and then lost, beat, and lost to Abu in Cornhole (phew. The games were intense. We have a week left of game play).

Today is the last day of teachers and then we head into the final stretch. 200 kids, 40 educators, 210 hours of instructional activities over 6 weeks.

This is what I do for a living and I love every second of it.

True To Ourselves, We Cannot Be False to Anyone. Year Two of To Write Or Not To Write

Last year, we kicked off To Write or Not To Write - A Shakespearean Literacy Lab, with the incredible Fairfield University scholar, Dr. Shannon Kelley, and the phenomenal thespian and CWP teacher Kara Peters (of Bridgeport and now Greenwich Public Schools). We worked closely with the Folger Shakespeare Library in DC when thinking about its design and we wondered, "Who will we get?"

This is year two, and we have a second year of solid, interested, and devoted learners.

I had the honor of doing a workshop with the kids in 8th - 10th grade yesterday and they were focused, interested and, well, brilliant. Both Dr. Kelley and Kara Peters have connections with kids they've worked with before who joined them for them for the summer and are Uber-exuberant about the work. They are reading Twelfth Night and Henry V, and in one week they are scripting, writing monologues, acting, and building a bond that is immeasurable.

I am in awe of the instruction, the expertise, and the dedication. I think Dr. Kelley and Kara Peters should be leading workshops nationally (Oh, wait. They are! In Baltimore this year).

Meanwhile, upstairs in Project Citizen kids are bonding over politics, issues, and writing their passions, kids in Ubuntu Academy are building their literacy skills while reading Jerry Craft's New Kid, and others, downstairs, are composing narratives and college essays while reading Rose Brock's Hope Nation.

The Superpower of Hope. That's what we're trying to accomplish at CWP-Fairfield this summer. A hopeful opportunity for kids 3rd-12th grade to enjoy writing with incredible instructors on items that are most important to them.

It's midweek, today, and I'm exhausted, but we need to fight forward. The Fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool.

Not sure where I lie, but do know there's a lot of work to be done.

No, @AbuBility It's Not Obsessive - It's Called Organized, Tetris-Like, and Efficient. Learn How To Shop, Kid.

Perhaps it is a neurotic if you want to see it that way. You can call it obsessive, too, and a little to uptight and compulsive.

I, however, see it as a game, and I'm unable to buy my groceries unless all the items are on the conveyor belt in the most puzzle-efficient, organized and solidified fashion. It's a game, too, and I'm sorry, Abu, for yelling at you for the way you lay the groceries onto the checkout counter.

Yes, Yes, Yes, I know that we habitually seem to be at Big Y or BJs, but I thought you knew by now that an organized, packed solid, sequential grocery sprawl is the only way one is allowed to leave a store. You can laugh all you want saying, "I'll let you take care of this," but I hope I proved my point yesterday. When the register lady got to our items, she recognized a brilliant mind, a thought-provoking thinker and a man who knows how to shop.

This is exactly how it is supposed to be done, and it WAS done once again.

There's a metaphor here somewhere, especially for anyone who knows me, knows me. I'm usually crazy, wild, random and highly spastic. Then I get called on this @#$#@! and I am found out. Truth is, I have a very Big Bang Theory kind-of brain and my compulsive tendencies leak out for what they really are.

Rigid.

I admit it. This is the real me (as is the man who MUST return the shopping cart to the front of the store). It's the little things that matter most and if you simply allowed me to slap items haphazardly onto the belt I would have lost my brain. Some things are meant to be precise and in rhythm.

This is one of them.

And with that, we have another day of work to tackle.

I Screamed. He Screamed. We All Screamed for Ice-Cream. We Got Out Celebration In

It was a subdued Sunday. Abu was in NYC, Chitunga was studying for his CPA and I was in full-writing mode, followed by planning mode. I got a run in by noon (a hot one at that) and then proceeded to work in the office in my bedroom until 4:30 before I headed to the bookstore to find more copies of Twelfth Night and Henry V. Yes, our To Write or Not To Write Shakespeare lab begins today.

Also on docket? Ubuntu Academy, Project Citizen, and Who Do You Think You Are? The College Essay Lab. Meanwhile, our teachers enter week #5.

I'd say we deserved some ice cream on National Ice Cream Day, which was yesterday. We had peanut butter and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups in Peanut Butter Ice Cream. A little bit of heaven before CWP's busiest week takes off.

The news, however, of Sunday was the 106 temperature outside. It was a little too thick to gather one's thinking. I made pulled chicken, green beans and tomatoes, and coleslaw - a delicious dinner (meanwhile, Chitunga was invited out so *poof* on that). Abu came home, however, and devoured the goods.

The leftovers will come in handy on Sunday night.

Today, I get the pleasure of presenting to 40 individuals in a College Essay / Capstone collaborative on writing for success. It's a new genre to put these two groups together, but I think it will be a natural fit. Scholarship in action is what it is all about.

It's Monday, people. Let's go!

I Miss My Kentucky Days, But I'n Not A Fan of Their Heat in the Northeast. Coping (Thankful for Pools)

I got the lawns mowed on Friday night (neighbor's pluralizes the act) knowing I wanted to beat the heat. Saturday, I did my morning work rituals and then said, "Crandall, Get out there an Run!"

I did and it was brutal, but it was reminiscent, too, to the summer runs in Kentucky (heck, Spring and Fall at times, too). I always said that I run better in the blanket of high humidity and yesterday was no exceptions. I had a great run, even though it took over an hour to stop sweating. I ate lunch, got groceries and then said, "If I don't get out of the house now, I will never leave," so I drove to meet Bev, Leo, Pam and Kaitlyn for a day at the condo's community pool. It was a rough one and a pool makes it so much better.

It makes me so thankful for all the year's I had Cherry Height's swimming as a kid: The Marleys, The Carolis, The Ferrios The Nicholoffs and The Becks until my parents bought a pool my freshman year of college. Phew. From that point on it was a ritual of living as much of my summer life swimming on Almalfi Drive. It's just enough cooling to take the edge off the hot days (and was a great shower after a long run) .I started thinking about all the rafts we would by and games we would play, including home run derby and volleyball. We could entertain ourselves for hours while staying refreshed.

I know there's a Rowayton 6 mile run today and I am wishing all the runners the best in the heat. It is likely to brutal and I hope they get some shade.

I remember, too, the nights like this when we didn't have air conditioning and we'd all try to sleep on top of the covers, but it was pointless. I would always lay in the hallway in front of the fan. Such misery. I don't miss those days and I welcome the cooler temperatures again. A departure from the humidity will be nice (and Abu was helping a friend move in NYC today - I can't imagine how disgusting they got because nothing is worse than hot days in the Apple.

One more day of this. Stay hydrated and cool.  Phew.

No. They Aren't Bags. Those are Suitcases...Shoot, They're PODS Under My Eyes. Closing Off Week #4

I'm in need of sleep, but I'm not ready for it. Instead, I am extremely thankful tot he incredible educators I hire to carry forward the literacy labs and teacher institutes I run. Yes, I facilitate where I can - lead workshops and such - and mentor with the research I know, but they do the lion's share of instruction and I'm always 100% impressed by the work. This Friday, yesterday, we heard from our last Little Labbers and our last novelists, and now we are getting ready for the onslaught of teenage work as our programs quadruple next week.

I am inhaling and exhaling, thankful again for the instructors: William King, Jessica Baldizon, Colin Hosten, Michael DeStefano, Shaun Mitchell, Dave Wooley, Gina Ludlow, Kim Herzog Kara Peters,Abu Bility Shannon Kelley, Julie Roneson, and Denise Howe. I am just as happy with our assistant literacy workers: Kevin Fiallos, Stefania Vendrella, Yafriesi Oliva, and Justin Wooley. There is so much going on from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. that I can't capture it all.

Yesterday, however, I was able to stop into every promenade - our Friday readings, and I was absolutely amazed by the quality of student writing. More impressive is their willingness to share with adult audiences what they've been working on. The designs of book covers and development of thought are simply remarkable.

I hopped from room to room to discuss the importance of community in writing achievement and felt great about the parental reception of what I had to say about mixing up communities, exploring stories and offering an outlet for young people to find their voice.

I am waking up on this very hot Saturday simply wanting a day without having to think about anything but hydration. I congratulate the success of the past 4 weeks of literacy labs!

With Thanks To @maryhimes, Allison Fallon, Darcy Hicks, Abu Bility and @unloadusa For Inspiring Presentations

It's hard to believe that a year has gone by since the #UNLOAD collaboration with the Unload Foundation, the Fairfield University Art Museum, Central Middle School, Project Citizen, and numerous campus talks. What is more remarkable to me is how quickly time has gone by, and how quickly the power of the work has grown and been shared around the nation.

Abu, Allison and I presented in Alabama, and this Fall we were accepted to present in Baltimore, Maryland with my colleague Dr. Beth Boquet. Over 200 middle school students have attended our workshops and seen the exhibition, and Allison had them return to 8th grade to write extremely powerful pieces. Last summer, too, we hosted 30 youth to focus on the exhibit and several YA novels as part of Project Citizen (Kemoy still looks good in that CWP hat).

Additional, Darcy Hicks has inspired artwork in several communities and cultivated youth voices in amazing ways. The conversations are important, necessary, powerful and on the minds of young people.

That's in one year.

This summer, the crew were able to meet in one place and share their stories and vision and mission and the work they're doing to think critically and productively about gun violence in the United States. Today, they congregated during a CWP Invitational Leadership Institute for Teachers that hosted at Fairfield University. So many angles on a similar interest - guns in American society. Of greater importance, however, iss the need, reception and welcomeness from teachers who are looking for curriculum and ways to process such violence with their students: urban, suburban, rural, public, and private. Kindergarten through 12th grade, this is an issue kids are thinking about and discussing. The students are bringing these conversations to teachers, wondering how previous generations have not found a solution or sanity in protecting young people.

It was pouring rain in Connecticut and I was surprised anyone showed up to the work today, but everyone was there, soaked, with umbrellas and desiring to learn. I am waking up this morning processing what a miraculous conversation #UNLOAD brought to the teachers. It is likely that all of these educators will bring constructive conversations back to their schools as a result.

Abu's stories. Allison's stories. Darcy's stories. Mary's stories. They, coupled with the experiences of classroom educators, made for a remarkable two-hour workshop. This is work that should be done and shared on the national level. We have a responsibility to it.

We Mustache You, "What's The Best Professional Development You've Ever Experienced?"

Yesterday, I resurrected an oldie, but goodie, workshop on informational writer and to make it more successful, I asked the teacher leadership institute to join forces with the Little Lab for Big Imaginations kids, 3rd-5th, so that our learning was that much more powerful. Yesterday, we explored both informational and argumentative writing with a series of prompts, games, and shared experiences. The bottom line? The little people are phenomenal instructors for the older writers (e.g., teachers) and their responses and leadership are exactly the refreshing voices we all need. 

Why do we do anything we do, if it is not for the young people we work with? We were privileged to have Karen Romano Young, children's book author, illustrator, doodler, thinker, writer, scientist-explorer and sage, who offered us a workshop on the importance of drawing and sketching out ideas before one writes. She was the catalyst for an incredible afternoon where we thought critically about how to write informatively and argumentatively. Her work with non-fiction and scientific thinking was thought-provoking, engaging, and INFORMATIVE. Exactly what we needed.

The teachers are loaded with pet-peeves, but also expertise for what they might explore for week 4 of the teach institute. We wonder what they will inform us? Or, perhaps they have an argument they need to be here?

What I love most, however - very unique to the CWP-Fairfield, is the contributions of Young Adult Literacy Labs and youth expertise. We can only take our work so far. It is the kids we are working with that help us to go th extra mile.

Hence the mustaches. Each participant was given a mustache and asked to require of neighbors a few additional responses to questions they had. 

"Neighbor, I mustache you another question? Why do you feel such anger towards that political statement? Why do you want to inform the rest of us about this or that?"

Boom. We are Thursday at CWP-Fairfield, Week 4 with 2 more weeks to go. Our brains are loaded and, speaking of, this afternoon, the teachers will get the #UNLOADED workshop from Darcy Hicks, Allison Fallon, Mary Himes and Helen During.

I can't wait to kick this off. 

Community! Relationships! Kindness! Thank You, @mrsherzogSHS @RebeccaMarsick @elizabethboquet @Barbara75223900 & Fola Sumpter for your Expertise

The #1 Reason why I have always loved the National Writing Project mission is the collaborative nature of the work and the departure of academic ego, hubris and expertise. Rather than a single sage on the stage, the mission is very community oriented: this is what I know, what do you know, and how might we know something together.

Yesterday, we had two power-house presentations and I couldn't be happier or more inspired than I was by both.

Kim Herzog, Barb Robbins, Rebecca Marsick and Fola Sumpter presented on angles of audience awareness promoting out-of-the-classroom collaborations and community work to achiever better writing. They will be presenting this at NCTE in Baltimore (woot woot - everyone should earmark this session) and tried it out on us today. In short, they made their case for collaborative writing and offered three models that has worked between their schools: (1) a course that aligns with a local senior center (to emphasize memoir and sharing), (2) a course on children's literature, patterning upper classmen with elementary-age youth to author children's books, and (3) a cross-district collaboration for reading YA literature and writing in both online and physical spaces. The objectives, of course, are to get kids to see themselves of composers beyond the teacher. The testimonies said it all. At one point, they had us list our own communities and I happened to sit at a table of four-eyed thinkers who were united by glasses. Knowing we were working on perspectives and angles, I couldn't help but snap this photograph.

The second presentation, equally as powerful, was offered by Dr. Beth Boquet on creating a community of feedback. I've been lucky to see her present before, and I'm a tremendous fan of her expertise, gentleness, sincerity and strength. She commands a room quickly and allows space for individuals to come towards their own insight.

In the end, I'm simply thankful.  What a blessing to have 20+ teachers in the same room in a summer institute for teaching writing and to have colleagues from local schools (and my own University) available to make classroom teachers stronger.

I was using an old notebook yesterday and came across this 'thinking' where I was prompted to question my own superpower. I've never had any, so I had to question, "What is the Superpower of Frog?" Well, it's the art my grannie Annie taught me. That is, from phalanges comes the possibility of just about everything: composing a purpose, challenging doubt, designing a new creation, looking for infinity, getting in touch with my soul, establishing my own metamorphosis, birthing new ideas, reflecting on the journey, allowing myself to wonder, and bracing myself for inevitable death one day. Yes, the hands, when used wisely, are powerful parts of our body. So, I guess, my superpower is embracing the Frog-way of life with words.

Now, however, it is time to transition to another day of awesome with special guests and a workshops between 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders with teachers. I can't wait!

Phew. Monday Team Building. A Whole New Crop of Fantastic Writers. There Is No Community If It Isn't Built.

Week 4. As the parents dropped off their kids and the teachers were preparing to teach them, I went into my typical Monday panic mode, "Will this be the week that things go wrong?"

Nope. We welcomed almost 60 writers and tomorrow they will be joined by our 20+ scholarship teachers. Day one, however, team building. We've know from research that there is no successful written outcome without a strong community for which they write.

We are in week 2 of the Novel writing labs and the middle and high school kids are cranking. I went to the computer lab to see what was what and no one wanted to talk to me - they were 100% focused on finishing the mission they came in with - TO WRITE.

We are also finishing out Week 3 of Little Lab for Big Imaginations and the kids are beyond excited to collaborate with teachers and writers. They're excited.

I have to admit. I was a little nervous because numbers were down this year when we began, but we've had numerous people sign up again since week 1 and we're matching previous years - We Gotta Write, A'ight.

A week from today, the high school writers are upon us and we have a record number of those (with bigger kids, the work becomes scarier). We are in year 6 of this community work and it is paying off. It works. I can't wait to see what the writers produce this week!

Missing My Niece Today and Wondering Why She Hasn't Visited Us in Connecticut.

Yesterday, when talking to my older sister and catching up, I asked about Nikki and they said, "Oh, she's away for the weekend." It made me curious about what was one of our original photographs taken via the Facebook years. Found one (because most of the earlier photos of her in cowboy hats and tutus were pre-Facebook phenomena).

I sent videos on her birthday, but didn't get around to sending a card. She would say I do this every year, but that is not how I remember it. This year, though, I admit that I didn't send a card. I had every intention and it was on my mind daily, but the craziness of CWP summer kept distracting me. Now I am awaiting the perfect gift (although I am thinking that the perfect gift would be for her to visit and for Pam Kelly to make her a Pam-a-rita before we kayak the Long Island Sound).

Truth-be-told, once one is 21 the birthday bonanzas seem to fall by the wayside. There may be something for 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, etc. and the decades become meaningful. Post 21, eyveryone slides into the adult-life blur where everthing goes by too fast and there's not enough time in the day to do all that one hopes they'll accomplish.

I'm guessing this photo is from her junior year. The beginning grays are just starting to appear in my goatee (hairs that are all white now). She has a job and a boyfriend in Binghamton, so gone are the days of her asking everyone to do things for her: Can you take me to Target? Can you take me to the mall? Can you come get me for ice cream? That's the great thing about adulthood...everyone can do that sort of thing on their own (and with their own money).

With all this noted, I'd love for her and Deante to come visit me in CT. The adult version of Nikki is a creature of my imagination. I get glimpses at Christmas but that is usually in the hubbub of holiday chaos.

So, this post is just an open invitation to her, too all my family, that my house is your house, too.

Back to CWP.

Entering a Sunday Very Appreciative of My Sister-in-Crime, Dr. Susan James, of the Emerald Coast Writing Project

The Superpower of Hope - Emerald Coast style.

As I spent the majority of Saturday trying not to exude too much energy (okay, I walked five and ran six, picked blueberries, and cleaned - but it was not that stressful), I was excited to see several packages on the stoop. They were sent from Pensacola: a series of heart-felt thank-you cards, a t-shirt and a pelican. The postal hug was absolutely wonderful to receive. Nice to get a Saturday love package to brighten up a down-trodden day.

It was uneventful Saturday, except for the the Grace and Frankie marathon I did at night to help me fall asleep. I'm tired universe. Actually, I'm exhausted, and that is why this post is so short. My mind has officially quit working, so I will leave it as this.

The Meticulous, Careful, Well-Planned Craftmanship Of Our Youngest Writers. It Is Something Miraculous.

Yesterday, a day without teachers, I meandered between several Young Adult Literacy Labs to see how they were putting forth final efforts of their week-long writing and preparing for their promenade - their end-of-the-week performance to share with parents, guardians and families. I came across Wyatt who was meticulously cutting out boxes and gluing together a comic strip he created to meet the challenge of what it means to have a Superpower of Hope. He was thorough, intent and 100% focused, so much so that he didn't want to look up from his creation so that he'd be finished for the afternoon festivities.

The 3rd - 5th grade Little Lab for Big Imaginations sparked creativity, inquiry, curiosity, and motivation to complete a writing project to showcase the week's activities.

This is why I love Fridays. The youth, this week (3rd-10th grade) were 100% on task, intent, and ready to celebrate all that their fabulous instructors offered them throughout the week.

I couldn't help but overhear the incredible, collaborative script they co-created after attending a script-writing workshop with me, or the professional attitude they held to make it the best experience for their audiences. They had much to communicate and in the genres they chose, they were more than ready to have their hard work applauded.

It is Saturday and I have two days to unravel a week that just was only to prepare for the week still to come. I've said all week that I felt like the principal of my own little school greeting parents everyday, hearing their feedback, fielding their concerns, and prepping them for the bonanza that is Friday. Wyatt's work and determination sealed the deal for me. He, and a young woman from another school district, were high-fiving one another as they met their individual goals.

I am happy to say that 100% of our kids left after a week seeing themselves as a writer. They talked like writers, they presented as writers, and they bowed with a sense of tremendous accomplishment.
This is what school should  always be about.

I will reflect on all of this as I catch up on some sleep. 

The Superpower of Conferencing - That Is Another Hope We Need To Encourage of Teachers With Students

In Week 3, we initiate teacher/student writing conferences so that those in the teacher institute build skills with those attending our literacy labs. It is always funny to see because the kids are scared to death to be assigned a one-on-one mentor for their righting, often very shy to read their work, and the teachers are petrified of doing damage to the student writing. They line up facing each other and then we partner. When I leave them, they are crestfallen and shaking. When I return, they are always, "Dr. Crandall, can we have more time? Are we going to be able to work together again? Can I bring this teacher to my school? Oh, my Gosh, I wish I had this kid in my classroom"

The facial expressions tell it all. It's all smiles.

Then, we go back to our individual rooms to debrief and the kids make a list of what the teachers do right and what they wish they could do better. It is empowering to us all.

In the afternoon, when I came upstairs to find my office, I saw all the teachers, student workers and interns diving into The Superpower of Hope - Connecticut Writing Project t-shirts. They were coaching one another on how to fold and label the sizes best. Why? They couldn't wait to have them available to parents and teachers tomorrow. My worry is that the 90 people with us this week will clean the stock for the rest of the summer. I ordered conservatively (and it is on my credit card needing to be paid back)

Today is Prom Day and student showcase displays. We'll do pizza, high five with families and then clean up for round 4 next week.

Abu and I are on campus everyday from 7:30 to 4:00. We look at each other and say, "This doesn't feel like work. It goes by super fast."

And he had to drive me to work today and yesterday. The sulfur smell and check engine lights is not looking good for the Hulk. It's looking like the Transmission A 5-yer old car. Pray for us.

Unexpected bills are my kryptonite.

We Are Already Post-Hump Day - Week 3 of CWP-Fairfield Invitational and Young Adult Literacy Labs. Phew!

I suppose one secret of summer success is hosting a program that captures the imagination each and every day. I arrive just before 8 and I leave after 4 (last night, 8:30 pm). It's that kind of hustle. Yet, when I come home and think about it, it is a blink of an eye. The engagement is so positive and the joy so omnipresent, that it feels like we're punching in and punching out. I simply drive home wondering, "Wow. That went fast."

Yesterday, I had the privilege of doing the Scripted workshop as I also did with the Emerald Coast Writing Project in Penascola. It is, hands down, my favorite two-hour workshop to give, simply because everyone is having a blast.

It is also the workshop that gets requested the most by the teachers leading our Young Adult Literacy Labs. It is 100% successful and 100% guaranteed, no matter the audience or the age group (and interestingly, although it's been done at state and national conferences, it's never been accepted for NCTE or other national conferences. Interesting.

The little kids are also amazing writers when they are given the opportunity to sketch dialogue from their lives and with their imaginations. They simply want to play, be creative and have the opportunity to share their writing with others. You know it is a hit when they see you packing up and they yell, "Why are you leaving? We want to write more."

The cool thing is I can say, "Oh, you can write more. Look at your wonderful teachers. They are much better instructors than I'll ever be."

We also cashed in on $3 lunches at the Levy. Believe it or not it was delicious - Thai chicken with Jasmine rice. Definitely worth more than $3, but hey, if that is what they want to charge, how can I argue?

I will need an administrative day, today. Way too much paperwork, organizing, ordering and accomplishing to do beyond the teaching frenzy that has been this week.

I love every second of it, although I go to bed each night, post 5K run, totally ready for bed.

Ah, we got this!

And Jack Powers Does It Again. The Poet Makes Me Think...Connect With History...Capture a Moment in Time with Those I Love Most.

We're going to let this one be about Abu. Human Resources called me today as they were entering his paperwork and wanted me to know that he has the coolest email on campus: ability@. I caught onto that early - knowing the ability behind the young man (before he even knew who he was to become). 

This is year 11 with the sage. Yesterday, he and I were interviewed for a local podcast, simply to name Ubuntu and to describe the importance of community spaces to gather and to communicate. The Westport Public Library, which opened last month, is a State-of-the-Art library for our times. We recorded our thoughts in their new podcast studio. It was awesome.

I couldn't help but look over at him during the recording recognizing, too, that he was my choice for a focus-poem during a Jack Powers workshop on campus. Teachers deconstructed a poem, analyzed it and tried to replicate it. I chose the date 2008, when I first met Abu in a high school library. 11 years later, he is a lead teacher for me and a co-presenter at National conferences. He is family. I'll let the words share the rest.

Danańe

It’s 2008. Abu 

is swallowed in an oversized flannel

and too-big-for his head 

knitted winter toboggan.

We are being introduced.

Nottingham Bulldogs are barking

in the hallway, adolescence,

overjoyed in cologne, Grippos,

and bottled sodas.

Because I’m 37 & graying

I notice his hands, brown, 

chapped by winter’s callousness,

as they fidget with a ballpoint pen.

He tells a war story,

bullets, scars on the inside of his leg.

His playful smile retreating behind 

the puckering of his lips.

I think about teaching. history. His story..

15 years of Kentucky bluegrass,

portfolios, there is no learning

without a relationship - wisdom from 

a mentoring friend. 

His flannel is grey and blue,

and sneakers are torn, but important,

from donations his family received.

The Syracuse sky is chalk.

When Abu tells me of his mother,

Makagbeh, and how she helped

the family stay alive, I retreat to 

shadows, privileges, guilt

of Western life…

a Saturday morning cartoon.

At home, behind a keyboard

I write his memories as if they’re

my own, tapping truth into 

esoteric language others have never known.

But today, a decade later,

with a poet at the board,

the July breeze chases humidity, and I watch

a room of teachers scribble their worlds.

Horizons stretch forever,

painting history beyond this room. 

He is another way I came alive.

I Will Take This Tuesday To Do a Little Reflection on Monday, Week 3 of CWP, Summer 2019

In a happy place. There's nothing like coming home from work (with smoked Marlin dip - yum), to sit out back on a low-humidity day just to enjoy the outdoors and, well, see Abu reading in his outdoor chair. It makes me happy that he has a book under his nose most the time (at least for show and tell on Mt. Pleasant).

Actually, Abu is co-teaching the Novel Writing Lab with Emily Sawyer, as a teacher had to back out last minute. Today, we have almost 60 kids embark onto campus to join the 28+ teachers already here and the rhythm and flow of a CWP-Fairfield kind-of-week.

I always am nervous on Mondays and as Abu says, "Relax. You get this way every year, but all we need is a couple of hours with the writers and everything quickly becomes beautiful."

He's right. Everything was beautiful. I've hired well with Michael DeStefano, Colin Hosten, Mindky Khamvongsa, Jessica Baldizon, Julie Roneson, Denise Howe, Abu Bility and Emily Sawyer. I've also added Stefania Vendrella, Justin Wooley and Kevin Fialos to the mix. They got this. And this allows me to direct and do workshops only when I'm invited.

And I was invited on Monday. I did a workshop with Matt de la Peña's Superman, Jacqueline Woodson's Harbor Me, Lamar Jile's Fresh Ink, and Jason Reynold's Ghost. It was a spur-of-the-moment workshop, but I heard from parents that the kids thought the day flew by! That's always good. It's nerve-wracking to host 60 writers, their families (at drop off) to a slate of teachers. I just home everything goes accordingly.

Meanwhile. the teacher institute will continue this morning with special guests Ronnie Sydney and Jack Powers. Great to have accomplished writers willing to share their expertise with our summering crew.

I'm keeping up with this blog, but I hoped to get a lot more of my personal writing done this weekend. Nope. Too many worthwhile distractions. I'm hoping to find a writing space today (in-between drop-off and pick-up).

Building readers and writers, one child at a time.

Okay, Monday. You Shackle Me Back To What You Need From Me, But I Am Refreshed From The Four-Day Weekend

Still fresh. But she said, "Yes." It's not my place, either, to throw the rice at this blog. But, I will throw a verbal 4-day holiday celebration their way...from the 4th to their proposal. I begin with a special congratulations to Stephanie and Patrick. I was thrilled to have them visiting on the last Sunday of break before we return, simply to watch the Women's World Cup match, and to allow us to share our happiness for their marriage to come (Stephanie is my dog's vet. Glamis is super thrilled).

Yesterday was spent celebrating the women's USA team's incredible victory, but also welcoming Chitunga back into the fold. He took off for a week and returned just in time for his internship to take off. I suppose I'm selfish, but everything makes more sense and is more worthwhile when he's at home and operating from the Stratford address.

We had a successful brunch: bagels, eggs, bacon, French toast, fruit and cinnamon rolls. We watched the women's team dominate and had a few rounds of corn hole out back.

It was a 4-day excursion of kayaks, oceans, pools, 5K runs, cleaning and celebration. I'm not sure if we'll ever get the rendezvous of break of this past weekend, but I know for the rest of July I will be looking for it.

We all deserve breaks in our schedule and I've thoroughly enjoyed the last few days.

Bring on the kids. We are up and at 'em. It all begins anew this week and doesn't end until August. Phew.

Channeling My Sisters For This Brunch Gathering; I'm Not Sure I Know What I'm Doing With This One

The USA Women's soccer team will be playing this morning at 11 a.m. and to be sure we see the whole game, Mt. Pleasant was voted as the location for viewing. Apparently, other cable suppliers have had spotty reception with he World Cup for Women's teams. It's all good. I have fanatics living in the house and from what I hear there are back to back championship games today. I said, "We can do brunch."

Um. I don't do breakfast except for a cup of coffee and a bowl of Raisin Bran. I do love eating breakfast, however, especially our Christmas Day tradition in Manlius at my little sister's house.

So, I got eggs and I can handle the casserole. The French Toast casserole, however, I handed off to someone else. Bev and Leo are bringing bagels and cinnamon rolls and I have both turkey and pork bacon. I'm also going to cut up a fruit salad for the game.

Seems sort of sad to know that the last of the 4-day weekend is coming to a close today. Tomorrow, the 4-weeks of absolute crazy begins, and there will be very few spaces to catch my breath. I have enjoyed the last four days, though, and winding into the day as it revealed what it wanted itself to be.

One last hoorah for the weekend. Brunch. And a day of soccer, with a Chitunga return.

FYI: This Guy Right Here? Um, Not the Corn Hole Champion of July 5, 2019. Nope. That Title Belongs to Me! The Man of Mt. Pleasant

I shouldn't admit this, but I think we spent around 7 hours playing Corn Hole in the back yard. Actually, I got up and went for a run, and Abu and Mo took Glamis for a 6 mile walk, but the rest of the day we became obsessed with Corn Hole - a tournament of sorts, in which I only lost one game (to Mo) which was probably for the best. It gave me just enough break to grill some rib-eyes and mash some potatoes.

Let's just say that I channeled my inner Patrick Kelly. I had his kind-of-game (but not the kind of game we're celebrating today. Yesterday, he proposed to Stephanie and she accepted. We have lots of reasons to be dancing in southern Connecticut today).

In the evening, I went to get peanut butter cups for ice cream. When I returned, alumni of Ubuntu Academy: Lambert, Omar and Arcadius were at the house to say hello to Abu. There was a brief FIFA tournament, and then they left, leaving us to YouTube videos, including all the videos of yesteryear in my IPhotos. We couldn't help but watch them from the last 8 years and, well, feel sort of old.

Gosh. The time has flown by. 2008 to 2019. Snap. Just like that.

And now Patrick has proposed to Stephanie. Shaking my head how fast it all goes. I can still remember how nervous he was when he went out with her on their first day. He even put on a button down shirt that night.

Okay, Saturday, you gave me Thursday and Friday as a weekend, so today I need to get more serious with my responsibilities. It's supposed to rain and I got this. I won't feel guilty being inside nerding out. 

And That, Walnut Beach, is a Floating Patio for Good Friends - Why Not Seat 10 People on a Hot Day?

It wouldn't be a 4th of July without a day on Walnut Beach with Bev, Leo, Kaitlyn and Pam, and this year they had floats.....Okay, Macy Day Parade Balloons to take us on the water. They worked, however, and were only difficult for the hour they took to blow up (although I think Pammy and Kaitlyn's rainbow unicorn (not pictured here) went up a lot faster).

It really was a beautiful day, and the heat was tolerable from the breeze by the water. Glamis, Akech and I started at 8:30 a.m. with a walk with Jake and Pam, but then I had to get him back to Mt. Pleasant for a trip to Hoboken, New Jersey to meet his girlfriend, so I grabbed Abu and his friend Mo and we headed back to the beachfor a day of snacks, sandy beaches, games, and mindlessness.

I told Abu and Mo in the morning that I have this problem where I can't sit still, and always feel like I need to be doing something or else I go nuts. I found what my role was on the beach, as I brought the kayak out, jimmied the rope, and acted as the floats' tug boat all day, rowing the crew further off shore. Walt, Bev's Brother said, "You're going to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger at the end of today." Actually, I looked more like a red tomato; my arms, legs, neck and face got a lot of sun (and it felt great).

We didn't go to fireworks, but it seems every year more and more people choose to put off fireworks from home, so all we needed to do was to look out the window.

Last year, the Sound was ridiculously warm and oceanic bath water felt gross. This year, the water was cold, and the pool afterwards was even cooler, which was great.

It felt good to set some time to the side to relax. Happy 4th of July, everyone.

Teacher Institute Pause, But 4 Day Weekend Opportunity to Gather Up Our Strength For Non-Stop Action

Guess who's back? Back again? Well, it's easy. It's Abu. We were talking to teachers today and naming the fact that it's been 7 years of learning, mentorship, conversation, teaching, designing, questioning, and promoting of life stories. He's back in Stag country after a year of teaching up in Case nation at a magnet school. Now it's time for his influence on the teacher institute, the literacy labs and Ubuntu Academy.

Great to have a backbone, extra pair of arms and stronger pair of legs to help me out with the programming.

Yesterday, we hosted the teacher institute with incredible contributors like Sonya Huber and Alyson Martin, then attended the birthday party of a friend's son, turning 14. I think we figured out the Apple t.v. and although I tried to stay up to welcome his friend from NYC at 1 a.m., I had to get to bed. Let me have a couple cups of coffee and then I will wake them both up and ask, "Who are you? Why are you in my house?"

It will be funny because it will be the 4th of July. If only I had fireworks to wake them all up.

Fantastic, too, to welcome Akech to southern Connecticut, if only for 24 hours before he goes to Jersey to meet his girlfriend for a birthday weekend. He stopped by campus today to catch up and to stay on Mt. Pleasant for dinner, conversation, and a couple of games (before he did like Chitunga does and turned back to studying).

Glamis is in dog heaven having all the attention she is getting and, I'm afraid to say, it is attention that hasn't gotten her a walk. She's been trapped inside by the heat.

Not sure what the holiday plans are other than waking up and letting the day unravel as it will unravel. I know Chitunga is in Internet-less land for the next few days, which is burdensome, but I'll adapt.

It didn't take long for Mt. Pleasant to liven back up. And it won't take long for the quiet to return, either.

Wait. Is That a Dude Corner at the Summer Institute? Do We Really Have That Many Males Attending?

In the last 7 years, the summer institute at Fairfield University has been all female with the lone male representing for all mankind. I realize this is opposite in other professions, but to be in a room with fellow male K-12 teachers is always a joy when it happens. This is deceptive, because our institute still remains female-heavy, but I'm thrilled to see a cohort this summer of elementary, middle and high school teachers; ESL and Special Educators. Urban and suburban. It is a great mix of 20 educators (plus others auditing the work).

On Day one, we simply planted seeds after switching rooms from the 3rd floor to the 1st. Let's just say that heat was cranking out of the 3rd floor rooms. It was impossible, so we left and found another space for the day (actually, traded with the Little Labs for next week).

This week we are working on personal writing and looked at The Day You Begin, several essays from Hope Nation, and workshops on perspectives and personal writing. This morning, my dear friend Sonya Huber, a memoirist, will be with us to discuss memory and narration. It's one of my favorite workshops of the year. In the afternoon, however, we are going to have a inclusivity panel and discussion about how we work with students who have learning dis/abilities. We are working hard this summer to think about strategies that work.

I have a guest from Kentucky and Abu arrived so the joys of summer are beginning. I grilled out and made the Crandall special, before we went to the beach to walk and do sight-seeing.

I'm thankful that this is a short week, as it's time to inhale for the rest of the month - so much life occurs in a short five weeks.

Here's to today. We got this. 

With Thanks To @bobgreenberg For Including Me in His Brainwaves Anthology Video Project. Thrilled to Be Invited.

Yesterday, a Monday, I had the privilege to kick the week off with a bang. Actually, I need to be honest...I was a nervous wreck. Why? Retired teacher Bob Greenberg came to Fairfield University to film me for the Brainwaves Anthology Video Project, a YouTube channel to meet inspiring "thinkers, dreamers and innovators; some of the brightest minds in education." Mr. Greenberg tried to get me last week, but I was in the thick of literacy labs, and couldn't find a time to talk. I invited him back to begin this week, and with the teachers arriving and the Invitational Leadership Institute beginning this morning, I was somewhat panicked about tying up lose ends and figuring out what it was I wanted to say.

Speaking for 2 minutes about an influential teacher and 5 minutes on the work I do was not as easy as I hoped. I get nervous about being captured on camera because it seems so permanent and I'm sort of a manic, hyperactive clown (which doesn't bode well for films). I did what I could.

We had a few hallway glitches with doors slamming and people walking by, which through of my choo-choo train of thought, so some of it needed to be spliced together (kudos to the editor). It's also very difficult to condense 24 years of teaching and thinking into a 5- and 2-minute soundbite, but that's okay. This is what they mean by an elevator pitch.

It made me happy to be able to talk about Mr. Finster, as he truly was a major influence in how I think about teaching and education. There are 100s more I could mention (and wanted, too), but after two minutes I realized Bob Greenberg had his two minutes.

I'm also hyper-sensitive of the roundness in my Ripley physique and know that I'm morphing in ways I cannot control. Genetics. It's all good. At least the sweating stopped during the taping. I must have gone through a roll of paper towels with nerves before we actually shot.

Alas (in a good way), our 20 educators begin th writing institute at 9 a.m. this morning and I can't wait to lay the foundation for the summer program and to build the leadership of another Connecticut cohort. I'm very thankful to many who have invested in the individual that I am. I can't be me without the community of others that make me who I am.

That is the power of Ubuntu. Yes, it's me squawking here about the CWP, but in all honesty, the program belongs to our teachers and kids. They are the dreamers who help me to reach the magic of our site. I am, because we are.

And with that, it's time to make the donuts! We got this!

Dog Days of Summer - Sunday Concerts at Walnut Beach and a Low-Key, Roll With It Kind of Day

It's the time of the year to watch the low and high tides wash in on Walnut Beach and to fill our coolers with tequila drinks and friendship to absorb the weekend Sunday bands at the pavilion.

The storms blew in over the afternoon bringing less humid air and much cooler breezes to make the weekend that much more exceptional. It was nice to capture some down time after a Saturday of running around with my head cut off working on home shenanigans.

This week, I will welcome the 20+ teachers to the Invitational Leader Institute and begin our summer of The Superpower of Hope. I can't wait to soak in the energy of our plan. It should be the best summer yet.

Meanwhile, I found basil and hollyhock and I'm excited to get them in the ground near the tomato plants I out into the ground on Saturday. I'm all about tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella cheese in the summer.

Abu and Akech should arrived early this week and I'm excited to host a Kentucky teacher with us this summer, a young man from Murray, Kentucky who is enroute to do his doctoral studies at UMass, taking a short stint with us in Connecticut.

Yes, it's supposed to be down time and I take it when I can get it. In the meantime, I am way to excited for the writing that is about to occur. Here's to July! The best month of the year.