I was surprised at how well-composed I was on Thursday night and even Friday morning as I started the day. When I woke up and was getting ready, I thought I would be upset, but I was okay. We went to McKenna's as a team for breakfast that morning and I was really excited to hang out with them as a team before going to school. When we were eating breakfast, I started to get emotional, but we were all hanging out as a team, so it was a pretty upbeat attitude and at that point, it didn't feel quite real.
When we got to school, it all went down hill. We had team time first, which was nice to come together as a group before going to our classrooms. We went over a few things and then Erica stood up. Before she even said anything, I started getting emotional (I know, pathetic, right?). She was saying how she didn't prepare a speech or anything because she knew she would start crying. She said that last year, she didn't think there could be a team that could love the kids and the school any more than her team last year. She didn't think it was possible to do as good of a job as her team did last year, but then we came along and did just that. She said how much she loved us and how proud she was of us. At that point, Sam, Megan and I were all sobbing. Then, she told us that she and Danielle had made us scrapbooks with letters from each of them and from our kids. They had pictures from throughout the year and joys that we had shared at final circle. Reading the letters from my first graders really got me. Their letters weren't as deep as the ones from the middle schoolers, but they were just as meaningful and heartfelt.
After we composed ourselves and felt like we were ready to face the outside world, we headed to our classes. My kids were at lunch and recess, so I went outside and hung out with them for a little bit. We stayed out for a little bit longer than usual just so they could get all of their goodbyes out of their system. Ms. Moulton came out with us for the end and helped me bring them inside. It was nice. Once we got inside, they cleaned out their desks and lockers and got ready for Step Up. Step Up is a half an hour where they go to one of the second grade teachers and learn all about second grade. They don't know this, but they went to their actual teacher. After they were done, they were bursting with excitement. EE could not contain his excitement over the fact that they had a pet frog. It was so cute.
Once everyone had calmed down, it was time to go the last town meeting of the year. There were lots of student performances , but right before City Year had to leave to go to the middle school town meeting, Emily (our City Year liason for the school), got up on stage and announced that it was City Year's last day at NHCS this year. She asked one student from each grade (who had been previously selected), to come up on stage and speak about their Corps Member, as well as each CM who served in the lower school. I started crying before I even got on stage (I really think I need some help) because I saw KC walk up and I knew he was going to speak for me. I could hear my students whispering "Ms. Russo is crying!" The students all spoke and it was so heartfelt and sincere, it was perfect. We had to leave immediately after to go to middle school town meeting, but it was the perfect end.
Middle school town meeting was basically the same. I didn't have students speak for me because it was only the CMs serving in the middle school during the day. The students are so funny when they have to be on stage because some of them get super shy and don't really say much, but others are exactly like themselves, which makes it hilarious. That's what happened with Sam and her student. It was perfect. When that was over, Emily and the administration had bought us calzones as an end of the year thank you. We had to kind of rush because everyone was heading to the eighth grade graduation ceremony at BU.
We went to Erica's and changed and then headed out to the graduation ceremony. It was so fun to watch them all cross the stage. I don't really know the eighth grade students as well as I should, but I was so proud of each of them. They all are incredible students with such potential.
I can't believe this year is over. Thank you to the students and faculty of Neighborhood House Charter School for giving me such an incredible opportunity. I hope that the students learned as much from me as I did from this entire experience.
As one person I cannot change the world, but I can change the world of one person. – Paul Shane Spear
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