DREAM BIG!
ART GUMBO AND BUILDING A CLASSROOM DREAM
First place winners of $1,162
This is the story of one small class, in one small community, with very big dreams. This is not a story of winning money, but more importantly of what can be achieved when we start believing in our little people. This is a story of twenty-five hand written letters, of grandparents, parents, friends, and my inspiring students that all came together in support of two small dreams. This my friends is community.
Footage of the winning moment! Thank you Nikki Hill for this video!
This is what happens when you hand third graders a wad of cash...pretty comical.
These kids are so charming, they should be selling cars....or something.
What began as a simple writing prompt of "My dream classroom..." has turned into essays of the inspired dreams of my students. Dreams that I felt deserved to be heard, and that could really be made into a reality, with the help of Art Gumbo (a source for local artists to get funding for their projects, yes Paula Newhouse and Megan Starr we love you for making this possible!). So what did my students come up with? A lot...and though I had to deny the "talking statue of Abraham Lincoln" and "a trap door for substitute teachers", I did end up choosing two projects that could only be completed with the help of Dubuque artists. So began the journey to fulfill two dreams of my students that I would eventually propose at Art Gumbo: a "puppet theater" and a "reading fort". Let's give the children a platform to write and direct the best plays you'll ever see (yes, purposeful activities), and more importantly create a classroom environment that values reading, by setting up our own magical reading fort!
Yes, we wrote HAND WRITTEN letters and Art Gumbo invitations to send in the REAL MAIL!
Max writing to his grandma Karen. I bet that made her day :)
Yes, I still believe in sending real mail. We weren't sure how many people would come to Art Gumbo, but a hand written letter from a third grader means you've got a pretty good chance that they just might say yes. We not only won first place that night, but we broke history and took home the most money ever raised at Art Gumbo. So yeah, did I mention yet that my third graders are awesome?
Grandparents. This is what made my night.
Seeing my students with not only their parents, but grandparents, family friends, and all the countless others that came out to support the arts truly made the night a success. Whether we won the money or not, we came out as winners because the community came together (the kleenex box is on my desk...ha). Yes, my East Dubuque community and all the wonderful people of Dubuque who support the arts. YOU ALL made the night a success for everyone involved.
My Two Cents on Vulnerability
I'm not going to lie, I maybe didn't sleep the night before I gave my presentation. Speaking in front of adults is quite different than speaking in front of eight and nine year-olds. Third graders have really important things on their mind, like what kind of sprinkles will be on top of their cake at lunch, or how far up the booger is in their nose (I'm just kidding...okay maybe not). The point is, they are a little less intimidating than those adults who could possibly give you an "evil eye" during your presentation. But once I walked in and saw the "microwave hat", pickle name tags, and students wearing fake mustaches, I realized this speech was going to be okay, and I was no longer nervous. Yes, no one has ever died giving a speech (Seth Godin taught me that) and if I can talk in front of kids every day, than I can surely talk in front of adults. So yes, be vulnerable, and know that you might fail.
One Last Thought
Marissa's mom approached me after Art Gumbo, and told me that Marissa made an "eyelash wish for our class the night before, that we would win". Well Marissa, I think your eyelash wish worked, and the next time an eyelash falls out, I'll think of you; and more importantly I'll remind myself to keep dreaming big.
