disclaimer: I'm going to get...maybe philosophical, maybe cheesy, maybe dumb...with this post and maybe it won't any sense to anyone but me. But since Kim may be the only one to read this, she can just ask. And it's going to be long. Sorry.
Today's challenge was a picture of a sunset. I love sunsets. Always have. I think part of the reason is that a sunset can mean a lot of different things, depending on what kind of perspective you have. Most of the time, it means the end of the day. Sometimes, it means the start of your evening.
After I've had a rough day, sunset tells me it's almost over and I have a chance to start over in the morning. As strange as it seems, sometimes a sunset indicates a fresh start.
Today was one of those days. For all of us youth staff.
For me, it started with a text message at 2:00am from my boss (which was ok, because I was at my other job, working overnight at 24 Hour Fitness) It just said "Wow. Dre, Jamal and another kid just got busted coming back to the dorm high. AMAZING!" * **
Dre and Jamal. 2 of OUR kids.
Now, at my job, we have students that are our kids and students that are OUR kids. All the kids that come to the program are our kids. Ones that we'll work with and mentor and build relationships with.
But there are some that are OUR kids. Family. Little brothers and sisters (for me. sons and daughters for other, older, staff). Ones that we'll drive to Lincoln and pick up from cheer camp. That we'll take out to dinner just to catch up. That we trust to take care of business for us. That have been around long enough for us to see their character and know that when we need someone to step up and represent the youth department, we can count on them. Dre and Jamal are in that second category. Especially for me. They are phenomenal young men who have a lot going for them despite everything they have going against them. And 2 of my favorite students.
Hands down.
For a good reason.
But here they are, 2:00 am, getting busted for breaking the rules and getting high. The first night. Of the first camp. Ever. When they know how important it is. For us. For the youth department. And for them. This camp is big for them, too. Part of being a camp participant is ConAgra is buying you new business clothes. A new laptop. Providing you with a mentor for the next few years. A chance to get to know people high up in the corporate world. Etc. Etc.
They aren't even 6 hours in to the stupid thing and already they're done. We can't let them stay. No matter who they are.
After I read that text, I almost wanted to cry. These two guys. The ones who we brag up all the time, the ones that are OUR guys. The ones who were sitting at the opening dinner, 6 hours before saying "Miss Tiff, we're gonna represent" "We're gonna be so awesome. We GOT YOU" "Miss Tiff, we got your back" "Miss Tiff, we're gonna be the best, 'cause we're on your team"
These guys.
Throughout the night and as I got in to work this morning, I gradually got the full story and watched the aftermath unfold. This isn't just a case of you got caught doing something stupid. Slap on the wrist. Don't do it again.
This is a:
does ConAgra want to continue with this camp?
Will they want to do it again ever?
You guys are definitely out of the corporate camp experience, which means none of those opportunities it would be providing will be yours. And you guys come from a background where you need all the opportunities you can get if you're ever going to become what you could be.
a you're out of the camp, but Rev. Ford (ex. dir of ENCAP) wants you gone for good. From ENCAP. Does the youth staff have enough pull to keep you around? You better hope so, because you need us. You don't have a strong enough support system where you can just pull something like your 5 ENCAP family members away and not end up completely lost and floundering.
They ended up spending the day with us, even though they've been expelled. I couldn't even talk to them. I was so disappointed. They let us down. They screwed themselves over. But more importantly (for me) they let ME down. This is how they have my back.
When I finally got around to talking to them, they both ended up crying. Because they knew they had screwed up. And while I don't think they get how far this is going to reach, they're beginning to realize it was more than just a 10 minute mistake.
As I dropped Dre off at his house (a week early), we had a real heart to heart about where he goes from here. He graduated this spring, which is farther than a lot of guys from his 'hood go, but right now, he has no plans other than "I want to get a job" Last summer, he was part of our program that taught 4 kids to fly planes. And now that's what he wants to do. But you can't do that sitting on the couch in your granny's living room. And that's where most of his support system is content to let him be. The ENCAP staff are the people pushing him to be better. To take advantage of every opportunity presented. But he has to figure out how to balance his people with what is best for him.
I watched him walking into his house and realized the early end of the corporate camp was a sunset for him. But he has to decide what this sunset is going to mean.
Will it be the end of the day? He's done striving for more and is now content to be just like every other guy in his neighborhood.
Or will it mean a chance to start over in the morning? An opportunity for a fresh start?
for now, we just wait and see.
*We have 20 kids that are in our summer program on Creighton's campus this week for a corporate experience camp thingy put on by ConAgra. This is the first year we have done this camp, and because ConAgra has some dollars, this partnership is pretty important for our youth department. We've got some great kids and are expecting this camp to be a great experience for them and for ConAgra.
**Last year, the staff decided we needed a word to use when a kid did something dumb enough to leave us speechless. We decided on amazing. The kids all know by now that when we say you're amazing, it's not really a good thing.
Today's challenge was a picture of a sunset. I love sunsets. Always have. I think part of the reason is that a sunset can mean a lot of different things, depending on what kind of perspective you have. Most of the time, it means the end of the day. Sometimes, it means the start of your evening.
After I've had a rough day, sunset tells me it's almost over and I have a chance to start over in the morning. As strange as it seems, sometimes a sunset indicates a fresh start.
Today was one of those days. For all of us youth staff.
For me, it started with a text message at 2:00am from my boss (which was ok, because I was at my other job, working overnight at 24 Hour Fitness) It just said "Wow. Dre, Jamal and another kid just got busted coming back to the dorm high. AMAZING!" * **
Dre and Jamal. 2 of OUR kids.
Now, at my job, we have students that are our kids and students that are OUR kids. All the kids that come to the program are our kids. Ones that we'll work with and mentor and build relationships with.
But there are some that are OUR kids. Family. Little brothers and sisters (for me. sons and daughters for other, older, staff). Ones that we'll drive to Lincoln and pick up from cheer camp. That we'll take out to dinner just to catch up. That we trust to take care of business for us. That have been around long enough for us to see their character and know that when we need someone to step up and represent the youth department, we can count on them. Dre and Jamal are in that second category. Especially for me. They are phenomenal young men who have a lot going for them despite everything they have going against them. And 2 of my favorite students.
Hands down.
For a good reason.
But here they are, 2:00 am, getting busted for breaking the rules and getting high. The first night. Of the first camp. Ever. When they know how important it is. For us. For the youth department. And for them. This camp is big for them, too. Part of being a camp participant is ConAgra is buying you new business clothes. A new laptop. Providing you with a mentor for the next few years. A chance to get to know people high up in the corporate world. Etc. Etc.
They aren't even 6 hours in to the stupid thing and already they're done. We can't let them stay. No matter who they are.
After I read that text, I almost wanted to cry. These two guys. The ones who we brag up all the time, the ones that are OUR guys. The ones who were sitting at the opening dinner, 6 hours before saying "Miss Tiff, we're gonna represent" "We're gonna be so awesome. We GOT YOU" "Miss Tiff, we got your back" "Miss Tiff, we're gonna be the best, 'cause we're on your team"
These guys.
Throughout the night and as I got in to work this morning, I gradually got the full story and watched the aftermath unfold. This isn't just a case of you got caught doing something stupid. Slap on the wrist. Don't do it again.
This is a:
does ConAgra want to continue with this camp?
Will they want to do it again ever?
You guys are definitely out of the corporate camp experience, which means none of those opportunities it would be providing will be yours. And you guys come from a background where you need all the opportunities you can get if you're ever going to become what you could be.
a you're out of the camp, but Rev. Ford (ex. dir of ENCAP) wants you gone for good. From ENCAP. Does the youth staff have enough pull to keep you around? You better hope so, because you need us. You don't have a strong enough support system where you can just pull something like your 5 ENCAP family members away and not end up completely lost and floundering.
They ended up spending the day with us, even though they've been expelled. I couldn't even talk to them. I was so disappointed. They let us down. They screwed themselves over. But more importantly (for me) they let ME down. This is how they have my back.
When I finally got around to talking to them, they both ended up crying. Because they knew they had screwed up. And while I don't think they get how far this is going to reach, they're beginning to realize it was more than just a 10 minute mistake.
As I dropped Dre off at his house (a week early), we had a real heart to heart about where he goes from here. He graduated this spring, which is farther than a lot of guys from his 'hood go, but right now, he has no plans other than "I want to get a job" Last summer, he was part of our program that taught 4 kids to fly planes. And now that's what he wants to do. But you can't do that sitting on the couch in your granny's living room. And that's where most of his support system is content to let him be. The ENCAP staff are the people pushing him to be better. To take advantage of every opportunity presented. But he has to figure out how to balance his people with what is best for him.
I watched him walking into his house and realized the early end of the corporate camp was a sunset for him. But he has to decide what this sunset is going to mean.
Will it be the end of the day? He's done striving for more and is now content to be just like every other guy in his neighborhood.
Or will it mean a chance to start over in the morning? An opportunity for a fresh start?
for now, we just wait and see.
*We have 20 kids that are in our summer program on Creighton's campus this week for a corporate experience camp thingy put on by ConAgra. This is the first year we have done this camp, and because ConAgra has some dollars, this partnership is pretty important for our youth department. We've got some great kids and are expecting this camp to be a great experience for them and for ConAgra.
**Last year, the staff decided we needed a word to use when a kid did something dumb enough to leave us speechless. We decided on amazing. The kids all know by now that when we say you're amazing, it's not really a good thing.
well... for dumb. i have more to say. i'll tell ya in person. love ya!
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