Thursday, September 15, 2011

My day reading at George Washington Carver Elementary

Today, I visited an elementary school to read to a group of kindergarteners, 4th graders, and 5th graders. It was a great experience, and I would definitely take advantage of the opportunity to do it again. The kids were awesome, and it brought joy to me to see the enthusiasm on their faces. For me, it was more than just being a professional baseball player visiting kids, but it was an important opportunity to observe and interact with them in an educational environment. The pureness of the kindergarteners laughter while reading and the knowledge of the 4th and fifth graders were very touching. My best moment of the day came while talking with the kindergarten class, and I asked one of the girls what she wanted to be when she grows up. She responded with a beautiful and innocent smile, " I want to be a paleontologist." I had to double take and ask her again because she said it so clearly and confidently. Then I asked her if she knew what a paleontologist does and she replied,  "They find the bones of the dinosaurs." I could do nothing but smile. "So smart are these kids," I thought to myself. I was so amazed about how much knowledge the 4th and 5th graders knew about space and geography, and even their comprehension of themes in the books were great.

This experience reiterated to me that our kids really are our future. Their minds are hungry for knowledge, and their hands are reaching out for guidance. We must not forget about them, and we must not allow ourselves to take them lightly. Their pureness and innocence is one of their greatest assets because their minds think limitlessly, and their hearts express openly. They are our greatest joys and they deserve our greatest investment in them and their future.

God Bless

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