Still Blogging After Returning?

I don't know, I really like blogging. I figure I can just start another one, but I want to keep updating this one. Why not?

I've not given myself much time to be bored, considering that I shipped myself off to IMSA for my second Golden Apple summer institute a mere 5 days after coming back from Kenya. Living out of boxes and massive suitcases have become a specialty for me. The longest I've really ever lived somewhere this past year has been 4 months.

Summer institute has been such an amazing experience for me. Last year was fantastic, but I'm doing actual curriculum planning for the camp that we're running. It's entirely our camp, the eight of us. We're planning the lessons, we're teaching them, we're getting the materials. I can't believe that I'm getting the chance to do this. It's beyond my dreams. Earlier this school year, I went through a 3 week period where I switched my major 3 times. Just because you say you want to be a teacher doesn't mean you have everything figured out. Do I want to teach secondary math? Do bilingual? Do middle school science and math? Or do I want to teach secondary Bio? I'm still unsure of what grade level I want to teach, but deciding to join the Biology Education program has turned out to be the right choice. It turns out that I'm the only scholar within the group that is science based. Everybody is math, so all the purely science based lessons are up to me.

I don't know, when I think of teaching about DNA, and osmosis/diffusion, plant anatomy, I get so excited. This thrill goes through my veins and I this huge smile. Taking three science classes next semester and until graduation makes me a little wary considering that I haven't taken any yet, but I know God will provide me with what I need.

But besides the actual curriculum planning I'm doing, I'm having a blast with the other IMSA scholars. Whenever I look at our group, I am amazed at the diversity of our group. We have every major ethnic group represented every moment we hang out. I love it so much.

I can't believe how lucky I am to be a part this organization, this group of people striving to change a child's life, one at a time. And the best part of it is... I know that we'd do it for free. There was a scare a couple weeks ago: all of us scholars recieved a letter from ISAC saying that funding for Golden Apple had been cut to $0. We wouldn't be getting any scholarship money for the next year at all. A whole bunch of us started crying, naturally. A lot of us depend on Golden Apple money to fund for college. Not only that, the state of Illinois is cutting funding for MAP grants to 48%, which is a significant cut. And even further, didn't this mean the end of Golden Apple?

I just stood there, shaking in shock at the words in my hands. Salty tears filled my eyes and left trails down my cheeks. Elisabeth(my roommate) and I just held each other, unable to find words to describe our emotions. But at that moment, I had peace. I knew something would work out.

The most beautiful part of that scare, is that all of us voiced that we wouldn't leave Golden Apple even if we weren't going to get scholarship money. No monetary amount can put a price tag on the summer institutes, the school liasons, the connections you make, the friends you find. I think that part made me cry even more. During inductions, Mama C asked if each and every one us would teach for free. To teach in the most underpriviledged schools for the reward of seeing our students learn. I answered, without hesitation, yes. And put to the test, we all stayed true to our word.

About three days later, there was a huge meeting with state legislators, ISAC, and other such people. With our own Golden Apples speaking at the meeting, we were able to get half our funding back. I'm so thankful that God has taken care of one semester's worth. Thank God.

Becky