This was a demanding week at the Sustainability Workshop. It was hot. The students are getting antsy with their projects because more challenges surface in medias res. One of my favorite students to sit across from is Kenrick. His facial expressions exhibit stress, determination, annoyance, tiredness, and having to work on the same team as Vivian. Kenrick talks out loud a lot. Most of the time it is about the cost of his textbooks, the weather, and how he needs more tokens. None of his verbal stream of conscience is about the Birght Ideas project. That might be a problem.
We need more rain. Rain allows a chance for our vegetable garden to survive and grow tomatoes. I told Ale that one of my favorite memories of my father is planting a vegetable garden with him. He asked me when I was in third grade to devise a trap that would keep away the deer and groundhogs. We have annoying groundhogs at the Sustainability Workshop. Poor Sachin; he had to pull up the traps on Thursday. Gim told him not to get emotionally attached and that “these things happen.”
Rain cools things off. On Wednesday, the day of 111 degrees, the students and I went to the College Access Center in the Gallery on 9th and Market. It was amazing. The young women who work in the College Access Center are smart, reliable, and helped all of our students with their financial aid issues. Brandon even learned something. Cathey, Adriana, and Joceline are excellent advisors. They brainstormed different options with the students and offered points of contact at each campus. And where would a trip be to the College Access center without bubble tea!
Rain is important. This past week at the Workshop was busy and chaotic. We are so fortunate to work on very tough but satisfying projects that will help people lead a more sustainable life. We are very fortunate to share our work with many different people and love it when our students publicly speak about their projects.