avalon students wear a new hat

 

On March 2, 2013 thirty Avalon Continuation High School students and teachers boarded the local dash public bus and made their way across town to Hawaiian Elementary School to participate in Read Across America’s annual reading awareness program. Through a day to celebrate the birthday of beloved children's author Dr. Seuss, students and community members had an opportunity to experience the powerful impact of service on individual students and a community. While about half the students had never been to Hawaiian Elementary, many of the others were eager to return to the school they had matriculated from and their younger siblings were now attending. Leaving behind their school books and cell phones, each Avalon high school student carried their favorite Dr. Seuss book they would soon have the opportunity to share with a classroom of their own. The students had been practicing reading the books aloud in preparation for the big day and for some the nervousness of the task at hand was visible as they flipped through the brightly colored books as they waited for the bus to arrive. As the bus moved through the Wilmington community a few students looked up to point out their favorite fast food restaurant or the street they avoid to stay out of trouble and away from gang violence. The conversations while lively were limited by the glares from other student using the commute time to look through the pages of their books.

When the group arrived at the school the office manager greeted the principal and students with a smile and led them to the library where they were offered breakfast and hand-stitched Cat and The Hat hats to wear during the reading. The Avalon students filled the library and sat politely on the tiny chairs as they were provided with nametags and room assignments. Each student placed on their red and white top hat and made their way to their classroom. While one student read to a special needs class of students, another read to fifth graders. The fifth graders excitedly raised their hands after the story to ask their reader a 17-year old questions like, “ Is high school hard?” and “ Have you ever been bullied”. When the high school student reassembled in the library many of them expressed a sense of pride, some discussed wanting to work as teachers in the future and another group of males talked about how being a parent is difficult especially in high school. The high school students arrived back at their school just two short hours later and quietly returned to the classes taking place without them. While to the elementary students and the passing community members they were role models and heroes, back in the gate of their high school they were just regular students again. One student explained, “…this was the highlight of my year”.