In the bleak midwinter

Just as the purple pansy pokes up from the snow in the planter by the greenhouse in the midst of the gray, dreary skies, I got great news via email last week. Yes, as the song goes in the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan, earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone, snow had fallen . . . That is pretty much how it goes many days at VJ. Everyone who cares about learning and kids knows all the unnecessary hard as iron obstacles to growth placed in our way by life circumstances and sometimes well meaning leaders. It is in this setting that good news came which makes it great news. I received the Toyota Tapestry grant to collect caterpillars all across Madison County, and my students will be leaders and mentors for other students in those other, oft mentioned, oft awarded schools.

Toyota Tapestry Grant

And as if that was not enough, I got a call on the intercom to see a parent first thing Thursday morning. I thought the worse and wondered who wanted to discuss what I had done to their poor child. I was wrong - in the bleak midwinter, I met an enthusiastic parent who brought her daughter's supplies for our Haiti relief effort. She was gone from school on a field trip and told her mother, "You make sure you get these to Mr. Banks." I was stunned. I had fussed at my classes not because they had not or could not bring anything to help our sisters and brothers to the south who are still living in tents. I had fussed at them because they said they would and did not. As if that were not enough the parent came to my room and got the full tour of the plants and animals and was as enthusiastic as I and said, "You make a list of everything you need and do not hold back, and we will make sure you get it next year through 4H and the PTA." An angel just showed up at my room in the bleak midwinter and hope continues. Further she helped fill out all the paperwork so that her daughter (pictured with the largest tomato on the right) could participate in the regional science fair and even enlisted her VJ graduate daughter to help.

Despite my best efforts to pack it in, I keep getting called back to the greatest opportunity (not the easiest or most lucrative) to help get kids excited about and keep learning for a lifetime about the wonders of this world. Yes, even in the bleak midwinter it is still teaching.

P.S. The telescope is ready for night viewing and a solar filter is ordered for day viewing.