Chicago TFA: 3

This next day was similar to the previous day because the students at Muchin College Prep were on a block schedule. The only difference was that we had a physical education class and met Ms. Chen’s advisory students. We again helped the students write and rehearse the “choreo-poems”. We also gave advice on how to do lighting and what music to pair with the poem. The poems had equal emotions to the poems from the previous day and also had very similar themes and trends. They included danger, violence, death, graduation and again roller coasters. I never put importance into my 8^th grade graduation because I knew I would become successful but for these students this was a big accomplishment. It was a time for them that was positive and supportive rather than dangerous and destructive. This is similar to the roller coaster experience because they were able to feel free, alive, and have some fun for once when danger wasn’t around the corner. I guess all of these situations of danger and violence did happen in Dallas but I was so removed because I lived in a pleasant suburb. Learning about other groups of people and how they live actually was a reason for me picking this trip. I always knew that suburb life didn’t accurately portray the rest of the United States and I was slowly having my assumption proved. In the P.E. class, we walked to Lake Michigan and back. It was a safe way for them to get exercise in the city especially since they did not have a playground. Alex and I connected with a few students and discussed what they liked about the city the most. The student I spoke to was very fortunate because he was being recruited by top schools like Northwestern for baseball which he saw as his way out of the environment. At the end of the day, I spoke to other volunteers about the schools. Two girls volunteered at Albany Child Care which kept the students until 7pm and had meals included and hygiene needs met like brushing of the teeth. Students at Muchin College Prep also stayed late and for both schools it was because the student’s home lives were not as safe and ready for the students to return home so early. I was always able to safely return home at a decent time and I never had to worry about a meal or being able to brush my teeth. I still couldn’t relate but I want to so understand so desperately.

Beth Boomstein