Then and Now

If you've been in summer school either of the last two weeks, you'll have seen people whose size falls somewhere between the big people and the smaller people.  They've been preparing snacks, reading upon demand, spotting on the climbers, setting up and knocking down the water play and all for nothing more than Student Service Learning hours.  They are our counselors in training, our summer helpers, our go to teens, and each and every one of them was once an SSNS student and so forever has an indelible place in our hearts.  I'd like to think that it's the fond memories of the times they spent at SSNS, and not the ease with which we'll make a place for them and sign their volunteer forms, that brings them back...

Oldest of the group is Sammie, Ms. Pam's daughter, and a junior at Blake High School.  Sammie was in my first class at SSNS and is, amongst many other things, remembered for insisting to her mother that I was "evil" (she loved Janise best!) and for telling elaborate tales of beheadings and dismemberment during the school day.  Thankfully, her mother had foreknowledge of her vivid imagination!

Next up is Fin, who will be a freshman at Blair this fall.  Fin's presence these last two weeks has had me recalling everything from his love of trains (check out the overalls on his Me Doll) to his ability to recount the Amtrak schedules (we have his Mom to thank for clueing me into the Zany Brainy sale that netted the 4/5's class the huge trunk of Thomas trains) to the rate at which his feet grew during the course of a year! 

Over in the 2/3's class, Sarah, Ms. Pam T.'s daughter, was helping out.  She will also be heading to Blair this fall.  One of the many things I most remember about Sarah is that while she wasn't so sure about sitting through a production of Abiyoyo (?) at Imagination Stage, she would gleefully jump out from behind corners and furniture to scare me with a fearsome paper plate mask of her own design.  She also was a prolific drawer of hearts, which prompted me to label her drawings "heartwork".

Also in the 2/3's class, we've had Will helping out.  I remember Will as being an entrepreneur who came up with the idea that his Mom could sew everyone a "Blue Bear" to go with their Me Dolls...for a small fee!  I also remember him quipping, "Welcome to Girl Land!" when he got caught in the midst of some princess play that was beyond his ability or care to fathom.  Will is returning to SSI in the fall.

Part of the fun of having them revisit, beyond catching up with what they've been up to for the last 10 or more years, is hearing what they do, or more likely don't, remember about their time within our walls.  I'm not sure about Will, but Sammie has occasional reunions with her SSNS friends where they'll watch the video the class made for me as an end of year gift, Fin participates in a book group with some of his SSNS buddies, and Sarah maintains a longstanding friendship with one of her best pals who attended SSNS with her.  I found 5 or 6 alum names on Fin's Class of 2011 Takoma Middle School shirt that also included Fin and Sarah.   

I can't help but wonder who will be coming back to help us ten years from now...?

Part 2 of Then and Now to come later this week...