Sasquatch and GRADS

Thursday morning found me up for the second day in a row bright and early.  I know for some leaving the house at 7:00 AM is not early but when you work from home and your husband is on sabbatical you don’t have to be on a schedule.

The GRADS teen parent program meets once a month to discuss ways to help the girls and their babies in the program and how to implement those ideas.  Almost half of the members were out sick so we deferred several items to the next meeting when more members, hopefully, would be present.

The best part came after the meeting.  Friends Ron and Cathy are former educators from Seattle and both are artists.  Ron makes the most incredible brooms and has one on display in the Smithsonian and Cathy works in clay, watercolors, and several other media. I met these two creative and giving people because they also own a Harley.   Today they are at GRADS to bring the finished pottery pieces that Cathy has been working with the girls on for about a month.  She started them with a slab of clay and showed them several ways to mold it with their hands and basic tools.  There were pots, bowls, a leaf with a fairy sitting on the stem, and hearts.  After Cathy fired the clay pieces, she returned to show the girls how to glaze their art pieces, and now she had returned again with the finished pieces.  

Ron is at GRADS today to tell three original stories about Sasquatch and his dog Sandy, to the girls.  He began by explaining lies, truths, and yarns to the girls.  He wove his tales carefully and when all three stories were finished you understood how they were all connected.  He challenged the girls to think about their own story because they are the ones who can tell it best and to tell it in at least one minute and not more than two.  Patty, the girls’ teacher, said she would use this as a basis for a class project in public speaking.  

Ron and Cathy are great assets as teachers and mentors for the girls at GRADS.  They are patient, kind, and truly care about the young moms and sharing their art with them.

I had a wonderful time taking pictures and this allowed teacher Patty to sit with the girls and be part of the story time.  Being part of GRADS is like having a child in school again and getting to volunteer.  I loved every minute of my mom time in the classroom when my children were in grade school.  I wish every parent could, would, should get involved with their child’s school and volunteer.  The rewards can’t be measured in time or money but in memories held close to the heart forever.