Tag: inspiration

Categories
Community

Through The Looking Glass

By Victoria John
Latin Teacher, Lakehill Preparatory School

A young boy steps forward in the lunch line, his head barely topping the rail where the green tray blocks his view. Tilting his head back, he peers up through the glass protecting the food choices. His timid eyes meet a familiar smile reflected in the mirror-like glass. As his own smile grows, so does his confidence to ask, “Miss Tammy, what are we having today?”

Tammy Jackson, Lakehill’s Cafeteria Manager for over 15 years and an integral part of the school, remembers answering this child’s question day after day. “He was always so polite, so respectful,” as she describes recent 2012 Lakehill graduate Hunter Austin Simpson. She continues, “I couldn’t believe how much he had grown up, until I watched him play basketball in the Nothing But Nets fundraiser,” and adds, “I’m so proud of him.”

Tammy’s co-worker, Shandra Jackson, fondly remembers when Austin brought his senior clearance form into the cafeteria. “I had to stretch my neck to look up at him as he towered over the glass. When I recognized him as the sweet little boy who used to look up at me, I blurted, ‘You used to wear glasses!’” Surprised, he replied, “I did?”

Thirteen years at Lakehill and 6’ 7” tall, Austin Simpson has grown into a mature and still respectful young man, an outstanding athlete, and a talented photographer, who recently had two sports photos published in the Dallas Morning News, where he served his senior internship. Austin clearly examines his choices and makes thoughtful decisions that affect him and others positively.

Austin has special memories of Tammy and Shandra. “I’ve always loved getting food from the cafeteria, not only because I like the food but because since kindergarten, I’ve had a nice, warm welcome every time I set foot in the lunch line. It’s been a treat to see Tammy every day of every year. She’s one of the most genuine and sweet ladies I’ve had the pleasure to know. It’s also awesome that Shandra was around for my Lakehill beginnings and was back for the end of my time here. Those ladies truly have the power to brighten my day. I will miss them more than they know. It would be great if they could come with me to Colorado State University.”

Lakehill offers not only a quality education, but a caring community. From Mr. Perry’s morning greeting, to the dedication of classroom teachers and coaches and the supportive administrative staff, to nurturing women like Tammy and Shandra. All offer a listening ear as they contribute to a Lakehill student’s personal and educational experience.

Hunter Austin Simpson’s legacy continues every time a kindergarten student entering the cafeteria looks up and asks, “Miss Tammy, what are we having today?” Through their comforting kindness, Tammy and Shandra impacted Austin’s experience, just as he impacted theirs. We are all teachers and learners. It just depends on your perspective. You never know how a smile changes someone’s day, until you see Austin smile. The hours in a school day mirror the years in a student’s life. They fly by quickly. But the memories of a smile reflected through the glass linger forever.

Categories
Technology

Imagination: Still A Twenty-First Century Tool

By Julie Riggs
English K-7 Department Chair, Lakehill Preparatory School 

Though we have fewer than three weeks left of school, this is my first blog ever. But starting something new in May makes sense to me. Reflecting on the school year charges my creativity.  At no time of year am I busier, and at no time am I more brimful of ideas.

As time moves on, more and more of my ideas involve technology and what is known in the trade as “twenty-first century learning.”  I did my first Power Point presentation this spring, and I ventured boldly where many had gone before and used Google documents for group assignments this year.  In two weeks, I’ll begin an online course to learn HTML.

Warming up to new ways of doing is not always easy, and sometimes it’s intimidating for those of us who still remember when an Atari console (plugged in to a mere 19 inch analog TV) was the hot new toy.  I love the feel of a hefty old-fashioned fountain pen in my hand, but there’s no denying how much time and paper  I would have wasted using it to compose this little message, which I have so far revised dozens of times.

Times change, tools change– but the most important tool in our twenty-first century survival kit is not the latest tablet computer.  It is and always will be imagination.

Categories
Lower School Traditions

Butterfly Memories

By Patti Brooks
Lower School Coordinator, Lakehill Preparatory School 

Springtime means so many different things to so many people! In my case, for almost 30 years, it has involved the metamorphosis of the Painted Lady Butterfly.

In my second grade classroom, we always highly anticipated the arrival of the tiny, squirmy larvae from Carolina Biological Supply.  When they arrived, everyone usually shouted happily, anxious for their own larvae to “raise”. (Many even named their larvae).

We distributed the larvae in clear cups, giving two to each child. Each day, as we arrived at school, we were amazed at their growth! After a couple of weeks, the nice fat larvae would slowly make their way to the top of the cup. The magnifying glasses we used were a big help as we tried to see the little suction feet, called prolegs, help the larvae climb. Eventually the spinnerets wove the chrysalis and the “waiting game” began.

It is not easy for children to wait….patience with the process of nature is hard! Eventually each chrysalis starts its swinging rhythm and the time has come for the miraculous emergence! (If you have never witnessed this stage of metamorphosis, I hope you get to see it sometime in your life. It is truly amazing to watch the adult butterfly push out of its case and spread its moist wings for the first time!) We then had a fun “Release Party”, enjoying snacks and releasing our butterflies to the world of nature.

A respected colleague of mine told me that this process reminds her of the metamorphosis that a child goes through from Kindergarten to his or her senior year! This analogy is a great one…taking much patience, care, and help along the way from loving parents and teachers alike. Luckily, we have lots of great teachers and parents at Lakehill and the process is a success over and over again!

Categories
Family and Community

Humbled by Service

By Kaye Hauschild
Middle School Coordinator, Lakehill Preparatory School 

My daddy was in the Navy in World War II.  When I was growing up, all that his service meant to me was that I could borrow a real sailor’s hat for my Halloween costume.  When I got to college and majored in History, I thought myself an expert in World War II military history and his service became a footnote in my knowledge.  When life had taught me that war is not something even remotely communicated in textbooks, his service humbled me.

I celebrate Veteran’s Day in his memory and share my celebration with my students each year, encouraging them to remember their friends and loved ones who served our country.

This year, I took the seventh grade, Mrs. John, and Mrs. Ekstrom down the road to C.C. Young Retirement Center where we volunteered to go and talk with the World War II veterans and help them get from where they live to where the Veteran’s Day flag ceremony was taking place.

In the days before our visit, we had four of our scouts volunteer to perform the flag ceremony and four girls volunteer to lead the entire group in the pledge of allegiance.  We practiced appropriate questions and conversation starters.  We reviewed procedures and dress code.

And then, on November 11, 2011, our seventh grade went to C.C. Young.  It was a beautiful flag ceremony, a rousing recitation of the pledge, and no one was lost in transit from home to ceremony or back.  The students did everything they were asked to do, but at the end of the morning, it was so much more.

There was a kind of magic that morning between the veterans and our students.  Maybe everyone was a little awkward at first, but minutes into our time together, that awkwardness turned to sincere mutual interest.  We learned about their experiences and they wanted to know about ours.  We were fascinated by their pasts and they were excited for our futures. (One of our veterans tried to recommend Texas A&M to everyone!)  Even after the lovely ceremony, one resident’s comment was “It means so much that you just came to talk to us.”  And our students felt the same way.

Everyone wants to plan another visit to our new friends.  Seventh graders are still talking about their experiences.  And there is talk of making our Veteran’s Day visit an annual event.

Once again, I am humbled.

Categories
Mentoring

For She’s a Jolly Good Fellow

By Victoria John
Middle School Latin Teacher, Lakehill Preparatory School 

As we celebrate Lakehill’s 40th Anniversary, I want to pay tribute to a former colleague and cherished friend, Carol Mackner. From 1984 to 2004 she modeled the qualities of integrity, commitment, perseverance, and humor to her students and peers. I can still see her dressed for Fall Day Out in an English tweed jacket, turtleneck, and crisp blue jeans tucked into her knee-high riding boots, as she herded 150 middle school students onto the buses with an exuberant, “Tally ho.”

Carol taught The History of America, England, and World War II, in addition to every subject except Latin, but she probably could have tackled that too if asked. She coached volleyball and basketball and led Adventure Week trips with the authority of a brigadier general balanced with the loving support of a nurturing parent. When Mrs. Mackner said, “Listen up,” everyone was quiet. Students also recognized that her twinkling eyes indicated praise for a job well done.

Middle School Coordinator Kaye Hauschild fondly describes her, “Carol inspired me with her unrelenting faith in each student’s ability to reach higher, try harder, and master more skill and knowledge. Her efforts achieved much success; her former students still tell the stories of how Mrs. Mackner taught them to be organized.”

Regarding her 20 years at Lakehill, Carol remarks, “I worked with some awesome people, teachers who cared for the profession. I believed in meeting the kids where they were, teaching them to face themselves, and letting them grow so they could enter the world as successful adults.”

Today Carol continues to guide students as a full-time substitute teacher at St. Paul Academy and St. Croix Charter School in Minneapolis-St. Paul.

She attributes her courage and determination never to give up a just cause to Winston Churchill’s World War II quote, “We shall not flag or fail…We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.”

Once in a while I hear Carol’s lilting voice echoing through the middle school hallway, “Jolly good,” and am grateful for the legacy of wisdom and genuine human kindness she left to Lakehill Preparatory School.