Portfolio Day

We've had some things occur at our school that make a lot of us nervous about taking field trips. Field trips can be really effective ways of sparking student interest and engaging them in education but law suits and accountability on behalf of the teacher is nerve racking.

This past weekend was National Portfolio Day at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Last year I offered to accompany kids as a club field trip, this year I helped them organize a time for them to all meet at the train and go on their own.

Nancy called me at 9 p.m. the night before, "hey! Um...I decided to go tomorrow and was wondering if you were going." I told her I wasn't but informed her of the plan. However, the next morning I was having coffee with Heather and J.P. while Jackson played with his trains and Sampson annoyed the fuck out of all of us when I looked at my watch. It was 9 a.m., the time they agreed to meet. I sent Nancy a text asking if she found the others. The reply was quick, "Yup we're at mcdonalds!!! Cuz we are hungry!!!!!" Her multiple exclamation points got me all fired up.and excited.
"Who all is there?" I asked her. She sent me back the names of five others. "Yay! Let me know if you guys want me to meet you down there."
Another quick reply, "ok well um yea!!! They want you to meet them down there!!!!" How cute is she with all those exclamation points?
I jumped in the shower and drove down to meet them. Jon waited in line for over two hours just to have a word with someone from his dream school, Parsons. The rest of us were in the old Stock Exchange room taking turns with all the Illinois schools. I was so proud of them and so happy theat I met them there. Priscilla was a little discouraged after speaking with her first rep but uplifted by the others. Nancy stayed peppy the entire time, Victor was a bit taken with University of Illinois and Illinois State. It's funny how a kid could decide on a school based on a five minute interview with someone that won't even remember them. Do these people who look at portfolios realize the dreams and feelings attached to the hands that present these drawings and paintings to them? We heard from Cindy through text, she had come also but we never saw her. On our way out we ran into Kelly who couldn't meet earlier because she was in a class.

That makes seven students who on a Sunday morning got up early and, unaccompanied by parents, met at a train and found their way into Chicago to learn about Colleges they may like to attend. I'm going to use this pride to get me through entering grades for first quarter report cards today. Yay kids!!!!!!!!!