Can you sense it out there? It's almost in sight, and with that first glimpse will come a tremendous longing to reach out and grab it.
For months now, we've been sailing our ship across the sometimes turbulent, sometimes smooth sea of the school year. Now we're almost at the longed-for, highly anticipated end of our journey: summer vacation.
The signs of its imminent arrival are everywhere.
The weather is warmer, and everyone's attire is more casual. More and more notes are coming home from school announcing special days, field trips and celebrations. There are rumors of awards.
Pretty girls in prom dresses and handsome young men in tuxedos can be seen in restaurants, in limousines and in proud parents' photographs.
At my children's schools, this week is set aside for Teacher Appreciation. We've been encouraged to send in snacks and gifts and cards as a thank-you for all the teachers who work so hard.
If you stop to consider how much time a teacher spends with your child -- not even counting the hours they spend preparing for school time -- you realize how much gratitude we owe these people.
If you stop to consider the extra hours teachers volunteer to help -- not only at their schools, but also in our community -- you realize how appropriate it is that we take some time to appreciate them.
If you stop to consider how bad your fifth-grader smells after a ball game, and then imagine 25 or 30 fifth-graders in a classroom after recess, you may think teachers deserve a medal or maybe even sainthood.
For a lot of high school seniors, there is one more hurdle to leap before they can proceed to the ultimate summer vacation, and you can show appreciation for teachers and schools by helping them make that leap.
It's graduation project time again, and your help is needed.
Kelly Scott, science teacher and graduation project coordinator at Mount Pleasant High School, tells me she needs judges for presentation night on June 2.
I had the opportunity to be a judge at presentation night in January and really enjoyed the experience.
I think it tells you something that I can't remember what I had for supper last night, but I can still remember what those five seniors talked about in January.
Our panel heard presentations on crop rotation, careers in real estate, siblings in foster care, horse boarding facilities and something my non-mechanical brain could not process well but that had to do with building an impressive set of handlebars for a motorcycle.
All the seniors did a fine job. Some of them were really outstanding. And it was a great experience to hear them talk about their chosen topics. Clearly, they had learned a lot, and while they were nervous about speaking to a group of strangers, each left the room with a huge sigh of relief, knowing they have the ability to speak knowledgeably to a group of people.
Scott shared with me some of the topics seniors are working on this semester. One student is learning how to decorate wedding cakes. Another produced a Civil War re-enactment set up in front of the school.
Another amazing product is a Habitat for Humanity house. A student has been studying taxidermy and will be mounting a raccoon. Another student is making his own bricks to build a wall.
It should be an interesting evening for all the volunteer judges.
If you can help, Kelly Scott asks that you contact her by e-mail (kscott@cabarrus.k12.nc.us) or by phone (704-436-9321, ext. 3550) as soon as possible.
Judges are asked to be at the school at 3 p.m. June 2 for a brief training session, followed by time to study students' portfolios and then hear their presentations.
On the night I judged, everything went so smoothly and quickly that I was easily home in time for supper. Of course, I have no idea what I ate, but I do recall that the refreshments provided to the judges during our training session were quite good.
Lots of people have already signed up to judge, including Jeanette Ballou, Bonnie McDonald, James White, Todd Hartsell, Brenda Long, Floyd Prophet, Mike Downs and Barbara Russell. Won't you join them for a very interesting evening, one that will make you proud of our schools and our students?
Relay for Life inspiration
Stanfield Elementary School is proud of 8-year-old Gaige Bolser.I had a note from Leslie Swain of Stanly County Relay for Life to let me know that Gaige is the honorary chair of this year's event. He has just finished treatment for Burkitt's lymphoma and is now 100 percent cancer-free.
Swain wrote, "Gaige is a resilient child who has undergone more in the past year than most people endure in a lifetime. His courageous battle has inspired us all."
The Stanly County Relay for Life begins at 6 p.m. Friday at the YMCA in Albemarle and continues through Saturday. There will be lots of food, games, music and fellowship.
The entertainment includes appearances by Too Much Sylvia, Latter Rain, Right Turn Clyde, Assembly of One and London Highlights. There will be a dance contest, toilet paper wedding dress contest, some sort of "Fear Factor"-type challenge and, of course, the Mr. Relay Contest for "womanless" contestants.
Going out to cheer on the participants is an excellent way to contribute to this outstanding effort and have a lot of fun at the same time.
Morris
