Every Child, One Voice

As I entered the high school library and saw the tables set up for the board meeting, a ton of good memories came flooding back. The playground at Chautauqua that first year when it was filled with Carnival rides and teachers staffing booths while children watched their house of learning turned into a party just for them. The helicopter Liz always managed to get ( r was it Fran) for the egg drop experiment. Popcorn Fridays with Tammy and all the rest filling the bags as fast as they could, the ice cream party for all the Orca readers, T-shirts and sweatshirts and never-ending logo about what the kids would wear as we developed our new identity together. And of course all the work that Holly and then Mary and then Meri-Michael did on the Reflections program and the thrill of watching our winners go to state and nationals. (Yea Chris!) And Math Night. Let’s not forget Tressa spearheading Math Night. And the Science Fair…. Barb and the Science Fair.

Now at this point there are at least a dozen,dozen ( that would be 144) people who come to mind that aren’t getting mentioned here. People who tirelessly volunteered to put together programs that achieved a level of excellence appreciated in corporate circles but destined for hands and hearts that have maybe a decade, or a decade and a half of life experience. If I mention you all I won’t get to the pitch to join PTSA and then volunteer for your favorite passion.

Realizing that the McMurray parents and the High School parents were going to be just as involved in PTSA as the Chautauqua parents when we moved to a site council organization mode was enormously exciting and energizing.

Then there were the functions for the adults. I experienced my first protest march in Olympia on legislative forum day. Learning the new strategies we could use for finally advancing the simple majority vote for levies was eye opening and did it ever take forever to accomplish. Ah sweet victory.

That was prefaced with legislative forum in Ellensburg in October each year where we heard the various needs of those around the state and huddled in our discussion groups to map out our verbiage as we presented them for the vote to represent the state platform.

And of course, at the end of the year there was the State convention. Yes Meaghan and Holly I have kept the picture of me wearing the albino Anaconda and me under the hairdryer. They were two of my finest transparent moments. Just what we try to learn from children.

"The children, the children, we can’t forget the children". Do you remember that lyric from the ‘King and I’?

My life has been about children since I was well, eleven years old to be exact; the year I started daytime babysitting. There has not been a year, a day, a minute, when my life was not about the nurture and advocacy of children. Representing those who cannot represent themselves has been my life’s passion.

But finding those of us who do not mind the mess, chaos, highs and lows presenting themselves at the same time can be like searching for people who know the secret code to a subterranean club.

I found them here on Vashon. Children Lovers. People who want to present opportunities for children to discover their minds, hearts, gifts and skills.

PTSA has continued strong on this Island because of the work of hundreds of adults who love children. This year they’ve already served up the before school Ice Breaker social to hundreds of children and families, over 400 to be exact. The cards are out for kids to record their reading. Next week is Bus Ridership Week from October 3rd – 7th. October 18th State Representative Sharon Nelson will speak at an Educational Forum at McMurray at 7PM. Did you know she serves on a K-12 committee? Come hear what she knows. CES Book Fair is Oct 19-28. PTSA Harvest Party is October 28th from 6:30-9:00PM.

That’s for starters. VHS Career Fair and the Film Festival will follow as will McMurray Recreation Nights. At the end of the year there’s Field Day. And Conference Week Support Staff and Staff Appreciation Week and McMurray Tech Club.

I don’t know what your childhood was like. Maybe there was a teacher or another adult who supported you when your own parents couldn’t, or maybe your own parents were exemplars of child rearing. You can be there for your own children or someone else’s child too.

As the State website says, "…we build on the legacy of the past and continue toward our shared vision that every child’s potential becomes reality." That’s it. We offer children the opportunity for their potential to become reality.

Go to the website. Pay your $20 or whatever level you want to join, and then look at the list of things open for volunteering.

Let me end with true confession. When my kids weren’t in school anymore on the Island I let my membership lapse. I swore it would never happen but it did. That was the last thing that happened as I entered the high school library that night. I remembered, I have to rejoin. I’d forgotten how much fun it is to work with other adults on projects that are all about kids… Kids being given the opportunity for their potential to become reality.

Love
Deborah