Saying Thank You and Good-Bye

As you guys know, this week was my last at One N Ten, which is very sad.

I couldn't go on Thursday because I was en route to a Las Vegas karate tournament,

but I made up the time by attending One N Ten's Second Chance Dance

at ASU's Secret Garden on Saturday. The theme was thrift shop, so 

the youth could dress up as much or as little as they wanted. It was a really nice

event; there was a brief dance-off, a 'know the lyrics' competition, and raffles.

And lots of food. I of course sat in the corner but everyone else seemed to

enjoy themselves!   

Posted with permission of the people pictured. Mike Schneider is on the left.

Prepare yourself. I bring the most unpleasant news. 

Guys, we lost a volleyball game to a team of two people. 

That's right. 

At least we're getting better?

The next day a veterinarian (and alumn of One N Ten) came to show off her 

mobile clinic and to talk to us about responsible pet care. I was really excited,

but some of the youth were more interested in hearing about her experiences with

exotic animals, which she wasn't prepared to talk about, than learning 

what cats should and shouldn't eat. Still, we did learn that Fancy Feast is

like McDonald's; it has a lot of carbs and fats. Also cats should not eat dog food. 

On Wednesday we ate fried chicken in honor of one of the youth leader's birthday

and spent the night playing games. It was a complete but marvelous coincidence that

my first and last days were both game days. We played Monopoly and feasted and welcomed

a new youth to the center. It was a good last day.

However, the upcoming presentation is starting to worry me. I've gotten in 

my interviews and am working on my paper (agh writing and writer's block and 

the surge of motivation that only ever comes at midnight), but now I've got to 

memorize a speech and practice clicking the clicker. Which comes easily to some 

people (I'm looking at you, Nicole Dominiak, who can memorize a speech and 

deliver it perfectly after like a day). Unfortunately, my brain likes to edit 

what I say as I say it, so while I generally write pretty well, my speech can end

up like this: "This is a picture of the Group area of the Youth Center except

this nice clean place over here usually has piles of donated food at least it did the

first couple of weeks I was there anyways but that food was in cans there wasn't just

like a rotisserie chicken hanging out there but it is a nice clean splace [space+place because should I reuse that word?] I swear also Group is the thing-meeting where all the youth 

gather for the day's activities (I might have said that already)" 

because there is no backspace button for verbal communication and I can't review an outline.

Oh well. It'll happen. I'll get through it. 

I want to thank everyone who has helped me with this project. I have absolutely loved it. 

One N Ten is fantastic - thank you to Rachel Sherman and Mike Schneider

and Gina Read and all the volunteers at the Youth Center for supporting and 

encouraging my research! You are doing amazing things.

Thank you also to Ms. Mitrovich for being a wonderful human being and 

college counselor. BASIS wouldn't be the same without you. I have no 

idea where I'd be (physically, mentally, emotionally, all the works) without your

help with the college process. 

And Mr. Wells! You know how great you are. All your students know how great you are. 

I've told you this like fifty times. Thank you so much for everything.

And thank you, dear readers! I know you just read and comment

because it's your homework, but I hope you've enjoyed it (or at least not hated it). 

Have a fantastic rest of the year!