Tout Moun se Moun (Every Person is a Person)

I realized yesterday that when I heard about the Haiti earthquake, my first thought was, "Wow, I wonder what the school is going to do for that." Not, "Oh, I wonder if the school will do anything for that," but what are they going to do. Because it goes without saying that the entire school will mobilize and work together on a massive and amazing scale whenever anything of this magnitude occurs.

And what did they do, you ask? Well, which grade? Because Lemmy's class, you see, sold hot chocolate at recess yesterday. And has made 3200. That's nearly $500. And Cletus' class is making bracelets at recess that are available for a 100 kuai donation. They've made $800. So far. Kindergartners had a bake sale, high schoolers are having a talent show, middle schoolers are having a trunk sale . . . there are music benefits, and t-shirts, and coffee hours, and a giant chain of 10 kuai ($1.50) paper dolls holding hands stretching into every foot of the school. You've never seen social engagement like this. And it is ALL coming from the kids. Their ideas, their motivation, their hard work. And, their allowances.

I can't tell you how much I love being in an environment where the idea that they not only can make a difference, they not only should make a difference, but that they without question will make a difference, is ingrained in every single kid.

And it's not just Haiti. Every kid in every grade is engaged and passionately dedicated to some important social cause. Kids take photos and make greeting cards to benefit the animal shelter. They collect coats and gloves for kids in orphanages. They raise money to perform cleft palate surgeries. They give school supplies and books to the kids of migrant workers. They buy coal to heat rural orphanages and children's hospitals. They rebuilt an entire elementary school in szechuan after the earthquake, for pete's sake!

I count myself incredibly lucky to have my kids' school reinforcing the lessons I try so hard to teach them, in such a profound and effective way.