BOC - amazing experience

[Jeri]

Today I was an invited presenter at the Watchung Hills Regional High School, where I demoed beads for two art classes. One of the (NINE) art teachers, Michelle Ravettina has adopted BOC and the whole school is on-fire with projects and events related to BOC, all because of Michelle. The art students are making polymer and paper beads, in sewing they are making bead bags (with sewn on BOC labels), in wood shop they are making beautiful bead boxes. Not just a few, I think they already have over 50 boxes, a ton of bags, and a many many bracelets. There are banners and posters everywhere in the building, and the teachers I met were wearing strings of letter beads spelling their name, ending with the BOC white ceramic bead.

It was so inspirational and rewarding to see teenagers turned on by acts of charity and goodness. Michelle has come up with the idea of "bead sponsors". She receives beads from BOC and anyone can sponsor a bead for $5. These are pretty much the beads that all of us send in, just ordinary ones, not special ones. For that donation, they can write a note that gets packaged with the bead, when it is given to a child. I read a few of the notes and was so touched I had to turn away. Each card had a personal cheery message, for the unknown recipient.

Think about it, basically the student shells out $5 for the "opportunity" to pick the bead, write the note, put it in a bag, and hand it back to the program. They have raised hundreds of dollars.

They are also making bracelets and returning them with inspirational notes that are amazing. I couldn't get my pics to attach to this (I'll try to put them on LE) but I just wanted to share with you how uplifted I am to know that ordinary people can be so GOOD. Michelle studied to be an art teacher at NYU, where she was interested in art for social justice. I'm sure BOC could use 100 more like her.

I am grateful to Ashlee and Lori at BOC who connected me to Michelle and the High School, because we are only about 30 minutes away from each other. I intend to participate in more events with them going forward. I hope my facts about the program are close to accurate, it was a long day, but I just had to share. Jeri

[Debby_Weaver]

Jeri-

This brought tears to my eyes. Not only is it so wonderful that this school is doing this, but that you got hooked up with them! And isn't it wonderful that this project is spearing and touching so many people?

Hugs!!!!!!
Debby

[TerryHale]

Oh, Jeri, thank you for sharing this! What a great bunch of people at that school, teachers and students. (NINE art teachers? Really??)

~Terry

[Kendra Bruno]

Thank you, Jeri for posting this wonderful experience. It is personally inspirational to just read about it...I can only imagine how you felt actually being there and participating with these amazing students and teachers!

Polymer, paper beads, sewing, wood shop? I wish I was in that school - it all sounds terrific! I think the idea of the notes written with the beads/bracelets from these students goes straight to the heart...an affirmation that people in our world do great things all the time - good hearted things every day - the unsung blessings that we don't always know about.

In these "acts of charity and goodness" that you shared with us, I am reminded to be particularly thankful that generations are led by amazing teachers who set such stellar examples of how to be a good person, to give of yourself and to bring happiness to others.

Here's to Watchung Hills Regional High School...sending you applause and honor for all that you are doing!!!

Jeri, if you want to send your pictures to Sarah in the home office, she could try to post them for you. I am sorry that you are having trouble posting them on the forum. I know I would love to see them and I am certain many others would as well.

What a blessed post to read! Thank you, again.

-Kendra

[Sarah Riggle]

Jeri experienced some trouble getting her photos uploaded. I'm posting them here on her behalf:
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[Jeri]

THANKS SARAH!! Couldn't have done it without you! Jeri