I recently took my little punks to the Good Samaritan Hospital a few blocks away from our downtown L.A. campus. I wanted to get them involved in the community, so one day I asked them what they thought we might be able to do to help. "Help?" they asked. "Yes, help. You know, like a service project?" Students: "Why would we want to do that?" I'll stop there. You can guess how the rest of the conversation went. They're in middle school!
However, after sufficiently brainwashing them, I got a lot of great ideas like, buy houses for the homeless, find a cure for cancer, get rid of the gangs in L.A., etc, etc. Great ideas kids, but maybe not this year. It's only my first year of teaching. Finally, a shy, quiet, precious little dear (I've only got one or two of that type) said, "maybe we could visit the sick?" Now you're talking. Something we could actually do in one day's work.
So a couple days later, with homemade "get-well-soon cards" in hand, we visited the rehab unit on the 6th floor (I only mention that because some of my students enjoyed the elevator ride most of all). We were met by friendly staff and many very grateful elderly patients. My naughty, naughty students transformed before my eyes as they talked to the patients with concern and gentleness. Look at those faces! Even the class tough guy who was not interested in "service" was a changed boy. He said, "Ms. Beus (the new name didn't stick w/ the kids), I can't give this card away." "Why not?" I asked. "Because I did a really sloppy job." Come again. Did I hear that right?! It's amazing what service can do for us. I'm sure proud of these kids!
