I created this piece

MilitaryChild Hero Dad1

“I created this piece because I am proud to be a military child. I think that military children are a little stronger than other kids because they go through tougher experiences. I decided to make this piece show that, even though things may be tough for us, we are braver for being a part of the military community. I wanted to show the different symbols of my dad’s service to our country. In one box, I made the Navy uniform design. This is what my dad wears to work every day. In the next box, you will see my dad’s ship in the sunset. It symbolizes that night is falling, and he is going away again. In the bottom left box, I wrote words that describe my dad because he is my hero. There are signal flags that spell ‘hero.’ In the last box there are strips that represent the flag that flies on the front of my dad’s ship.” (1/2)

What I enjoy most about working

PAHS teacher - working w students w disabilities

“What I enjoy most about working with students with disabilities are the various personalities and abilities of our students. Most people who are not familiar with our students focus on their disabilities and not their abilities. They have as many likes and dislikes as their non-disabled peers. They love the same fashion, music, movies and TV programs. “The Walking Dead” is always a good conversation piece. There is never a day that goes by when one or more does not bring a smile to my face. It’s such a great feeling! They have loving personalities.”

we are standing here

Art and Science1

“We are standing here at an intersection of art and science. Art and science are often thought of as polar opposites. The fact is that the two fields have more in common than they differ. Both involve experimentation. Both involve creative thought. Both involve trying to see or discover something in a totally new way. Artists and scientists share curiosity about the world and work on ways to better understand it. The approach problems in different ways. Asking questions in different ways can lead to new solutions. Both artists and scientists are open minded. Art has the power to inspire, educate and motivate. Together, art and science can help us visualize a problem and figure out how to solve it.”

I love art!

thumbnail_KLODS art girl option1

“I love art! I’m very, very passionate about it. I feel like it gives me a way to express myself, and I don’t get to do that a lot because I have a busy schedule and I can’t really do stuff. So, art is something that I dedicate my time to. I stay after school with my art teacher and I practice on weekends. I love painting with watercolor because I feel like it’s so free and easy. You can do whatever you want with it. I got into the Salem art academy so I’m going there next year. I’m very excited!”

Teaching at my alma mater is amazing.

Teaching at Alma Mater

“Teaching at my alma mater is amazing. What a special experience to work alongside the teachers who inspired me so many years ago…and still inspire me today. Now, I try to share that same enthusiasm and passion for learning with my students, both in AP English and the Virginia Teachers for Tomorrow program. The students and teachers here are like family, and I’m proud that feeling and tradition has not changed throughout my experience as a student and now as a teacher.”

#ThankATeacher

#TeacherAppreciationWeek

Teachers are important because

KLODS 5 Teacher Importance

“Teachers are important because they have a way of connecting with the students and teaching them in a more direct perspective. And they connect with the students in order to make the students happier and make school more fun. It’s a better way of educating the students because it won’t just be words on a paper or a math problem on a work sheet, it will be more of like a learning experience for them.”

#WeAreVBSchools
#TeacherAppreciationWeek

I thought I was going to give birth in the driver’s lounge

Transportation 8

I thought I was going to give birth in the driver’s lounge. I was close to the end of my second pregnancy, I tried to go as far as spring break and it was probably about a week before my due date. I suddenly wasn’t feeling well, I was in to get my bus serviced and I everyone saw the look on my face. My supervisor asked me if I was feeling alright and I said no, I think it is time to call my mother, I’m taking myself off the bus today. My son was born four days later.

This is my 34th year

Lynnhaven MS student activities

“This is my 34th year in education and my 27th in student activities, all here at Lynnhaven. The kid who is involved feels more a part of the school. The kid who is involved becomes part of a team. The kid who is involved has that older kid to look up to. It makes a more well-rounded student. They’re not going to come home and become a couch potato. They’re not going to become detached or disinterested. It’s a happier kid. It’s a healthier kid – emotionally, mentally and physically. Whether it’s a club or a sport, you feel like you belong because you are vested in it. It’s rewarding and you feel better about yourself. You blossom and you grow more mature. Then you’re not overwhelmed by the time you get to high school.

I adore my position because I get to put my finger on the pulse of so many things. One of the things that I have the most pride about is the community service. Having that opportunity to take that young impressionable mind and say, ‘You can and do make a difference.’”

I’m a supervisor, I supervise about 48 drivers.

Transportation 9

“I’m a supervisor, I supervise about 48 drivers. I’m retired Army and when I was in the Army I managed soldiers and I basically do that here with my bus drivers. We talk about being responsible, especially looking at areas of safety. I did that in the military and, again, it’s real important when you are talking about transporting children to and from school and doing it in a safe manner.”

Everybody has something

Volunteer Birdneck Ken Edmonds

“Everybody has something, some skill, some ability that they can bring to a classroom. I worked for the government for 33 years and was invited in to do a Mr. Engineer presentation. That turned into, ‘Can you do it with other classes?’ That turned into, ‘Can you come in a day or two?’ And, here we are three years later. I am really blessed to be able to come in here three days a week now and work with the children. It doesn’t get old. They offer me something to learn every day I show up.”

In college, I want to

PAHS student - mental health

“In college, I want to investigate mental health and the stigma against mental health, and where this feeling that it’s not okay to speak about mental health comes from. Mental health is just as important as physical health. If you are having depression or anxiety, you should go have that treated just like if you broke your arm.

I think there are probably a lot of people who do need someone to talk to who have not reached out or feel that there is something wrong if they do. I feel that sometimes, for teens and kids, their emotions are not always validated, and I think it’s important to validate everyone’s emotions. If you say you’re sad, it’s okay to be sad, and no one has the right to say you’re not. As an adult, when you get to make choices for yourself, I think it is a little easier to get help. But I feel for kids, getting help is a harder thing to do because maybe not everyone believes what you are telling them you feel.

I’d like to help teens and kids deal with things that are going on in their lives that they wouldn’t normally be comfortable talking about and to help them be a better version of themselves. I would like to be that person you feel like you can come talk to; that it’s a safe place; and that you can better yourself from that and become stronger.”

“I created the piece mainly for my mom

MilitaryChild Self Portrait

“I created the piece mainly for my mom. This drawing was based off a picture of me saying goodbye to my mom when she was going off on deployment. I was 15 months old and wearing my mom’s Navy uniform. The background for this piece is a map of some of the 50 states. As a military child I moved around a couple of times. The states with a red ‘x’ on them are the places I have lived as a military child. It is hard for all military children to move and say goodbye to their family members.”

For somebody my age

Volunteer Plaza MS Janice Roller

“For somebody my age, school is so different now than it was then. Volunteering helps you keep your finger on the pulse. It helps you keep current; it keeps you active and you feel like you are doing something for the community. I just enjoy helping the kids. I don’t expect to see any of them on Project Runway, but it exposes them to something else. Maybe when they are in college and they rip their jeans, they can get a needle and thread and fix that seam or sew on a button – things like that. Life skills that we all need. We have a good time.” #VolunteersOfVBCPS

dentist

Future Dentist

“I’ve always been one of the little kids that loved going to the dentist.  When I was about eight years old I would go to the dentist with my grandmother who had Alzheimer’s to help my dentist with her and he like said like “Hey, do you want to help out?” and as a little kid that is so much fun.  So I would help out with my grandmother over the years and I just like became more interested.  I just started asking questions and then the summer before my freshman year I shadowed so I got to experience the day in the life of dentist and became even more interested in the career.”